


Imbolc

by Oldine



Series: Birches Grow [6]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 17:35:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 26,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10036421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oldine/pseuds/Oldine
Summary: Imbolc is about new beginnings and personal demons. Dragons, magic mushrooms, family secrets, and romance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Section 1: In the Garden of Eden**

**British Virgin Islands, Spring 1990**

Jack Harkness walked down a marked path among Banga palm trees. A few wild aloe plants looked recently harvested. Areas of underbrush had been cleared. The warm weather meant he had to stow his coat. The spongy ground meant he opted for different boots. He wore his usual retro WWII clothing with new combat boots purchased at a US Army/Navy store in New York state.

“Captain Harkness.” Derrian Talbot extended a hand. “It’s good to see you again.” A man in his late twenties with perfectly pressed clothes and boots that still had some shine despite the heat. They’d met while Derrian served in the Royal Army. Anyone looking at him now would see a butler, not an Army vet.

Jack smiled and lowered his voice. “I thought you were married.”

“Five years.” Derrian smiled. “Janne is in London with Langford.”

“Lucky woman.”

“You need to find one.”

“No woman will have him.” Ruthie Beaupre walked over. “Well,” she considered, “No smart woman.” She was a tall, French Canadian woman studying biology at a university in Quebec. “What brings the great Captain Jack Harkness to the tropics?” They’d met at the Torchwood Institute years earlier when she visited London with her parents.

“I was in New York looking at meteorites. There appears to be a connection between one of those rocks and rocks found here. The Institute wants mineral and genetic samples.”

“We have two live specimens.” Ruthie grinned, obviously proud. “Both reptiles recently hatched. Similar species. Neither are from Earth.”

“How big?”

She held her hands a few inches apart. “The size of a gecko.”

“They look like small iguanas with wings,” Derrian added.

“Any safety concerns?”

Ruthie nodded. “The creatures excrete an hallucinogenic substance. Touching the reptiles causes intoxication. Before they hatch, it seeps through the leathery eggs and contaminates everything around them. Consuming contaminated fruit or using aloe plants for topical results in a stronger drug effect.”

“How bad?”

“It depends on the person,” Derrian said. “One of the locals described it as a spiritual experience. A young student volunteer from London became irrational and violent and had to be restrained. He was transported to London for medical treatment.”

“The local has extensive experience with hallucinogens which affected his reaction.” Ruthie explained. “The type of contaminated plant also matters.” She lowered her voice. “If used to contaminate coca plants, for example, it would produce a stronger, more dangerous drug than cocaine.”

 

Jack had a bad feeling as he watched the creatures, egg fragments and soil samples loaded into shipping crates. Torchwood London had a history of questionable ideas and judgment justified by their devotion to Great Britain. He could think of any number of ways the hallucinogenic properties could be exploited. He would have preferred to destroy everything instead of transport it.

“Are you okay?” Ruthie asked.

“Yeah.”

She held out her hand, showing a shiny engagement ring. “Talbot’s happy must be contagious.”

“I thought you swore off dating.”

“Just you.”

Jack laughed. He met Ruthie when she was a kid, and somehow he always thought of the child when they talked. He’d seen her several times over the years. She like to joke he knew better than to flirt with her. It never occurred to him. He still saw a twelve year-old with silly pink shoes talking about being a veterinarian.

“Whose the lucky guy?”

“Artaxiad Sarkisian. He’s a physics major.” She obviously thought his choice in science was strange.

“He better treat you right.”

Ruthie laughed. “Art’s a prince. Old school manners. A bit of caveman. My woman. My house. Grunt grunt.” She laughed more. “We’re going to get an apartment soon. He wants to wait until after we’re married.”

“Have you talked about continuing school and working?”

“Oh yeah. Art got this look on his face when I asked about that. I call it his ‘I’m not my father expression.’” She shook her head. “Art’s father is a king among assholes.”

“I’m happy for you.”

“Talbot’s right. You do need to find someone. I’m sure the perfect man, woman or squid is out there.”

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Send my invitation or notification to Torchwood Three in Cardiff. I’ll send you a present.”

Ruthie poked him in the side. “Art is old school. No sex toys, innuendos or frat boy gag gifts. He’d die of embarrassment.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales**

**Monday, February 1, 2020**

Gwen Cooper wondered what Jack hadn’t told her about the psychiatrist. From her own experience, and in talking to Ianto as well as Tosh and Owen, Jack recruited people who he encountered during Torchwood investigations that proved their value through tenacity or in Tosh’s case were uniquely talented. Jack either hadn’t met the woman or hadn’t admitted to it. Withholding information was nothing new. Trusting an unknown person with Torchwood secrets and possibly hers was, and she didn’t know what she thought about it.

Ianto still maintained the tourist office on Butetown pier. It wasn’t much of a secret anymore. More often than not, it had a closed signs with various excuses. Gwen unlocked it remotely when she saw the new woman on the security videos. While she didn’t have an explanation, she at least had a file with a photograph.

Dr. Bree Nelson was in her early thirties with ginger hair, a few freckles, sensible business casual clothes, and a tan briefcase. The woman eyed the office like she wasn’t sure what she’d gotten into. For a psychology professional who started with a medical degree, Gwen suspected the newcomer would be shocked even if she had been told what to expect.

“Dr. Nelson,” Gwen greeted, “Welcome to Torchwood.” She held back the curtain.

“I understand the facility was destroyed by a bomb during the 456 situation in 2008.” She sounded nervous.

Gwen smiled. “It rebuilt itself.” While inaccurate, the explanation came from a government official, and it sounded good. The idea the hub could rebuild itself might deter the government from trying to detonate it again. Jack had sensors installed since its returned and asked Luc to expand the scan capabilities after he arrived.

The uneasy psychiatrist stepped into the hallway. Gwen motioned forward and started toward the hub. “Did Jack explain the job?”

“No. I haven’t spoken to Captain Harkness.”

Gwen knew she was missing something. “How did you apply for the job?”

“I was recommended through a government program.”

That made no more sense than anything else. They walked the rest of the way in silence. The elevator ride was tense. The large hub door rolled aside, revealing the main floor. The twin consoles looked much the same as her first day. Ianto stood near the railing outside Jack’s office. His jacket was probably in the maintenance office he’d taken over. Wearing a shoulder holster in the hub was probably not the best first impression.

“Dr. Nelson, this is Ianto Jones, the office manager.” Gwen motioned to him discreetly.

Ianto seemed to consider it before walking down the stairs. It only than occurred to her that his reaction to a stranger in the hub would likely be more extreme than her own. Luc arrived under different circumstances. Ianto had firsthand experience with transferring to Torchwood Three after a different facility fell.

The doctor shook his hand. “Do you normally wear a gun in the office, Mr. Jones?”

“Ma’am.” He turned to her. “Jack wants charts on Rift activity since June. Do you need me?”

“No.”

Ianto headed across the room, and disappeared down the back hallway. She knew he and Jack had an argument, but not about what. He looked depressed. Which was better than overwhelmed or terrified. He’d learned to cope with the PTSD. Some days were better than others.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Long week.”

“Right.” As a psychiatrist, Dr. Nelson would likely recognize the symptoms quickly. One of the numerous reasons Gwen didn’t understand why Jack hired her.

“Torchwood takes some getting used to.”

The pterodactyl chose that moment to launch itself into the air with its distinctive cry. The creature circled twice and landed on a railing near the upstairs office. The hub watch dog, as Jack called it, returned when the hub reappeared. Either his unusual pet considered it home or wanted to be fed.

“Is that real?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it dangerous?”

Very. It survived attacking a Cyberman her first year in Torchwood. “It won’t bother you.” Gwen than added. “Don’t bring anything with barbecue sauce near it.”

“Are there other creatures?” Dr. Nelson looked around.

“Some. We have a few in cells. They’re secured.”

“This place is unbelievable.”

Gwen narrated a tour. She skipped Jack’s office, and the armory, and showed Dr. Nelson the conference room, infirmary and a maintenance supply room. The younger woman obviously had no idea what she was getting into. With that in mind, Gwen recreated one of her first experiences.

“Weevils are the most common aliens we encounter.” Gwen grabbed a chair and set it in front of one of the cells with its clear front wall. “They slip through the Rift above Cardiff and live in the sewers.” She guided Dr. Nelson over to the chair. “Most of them will never bother anyone. Occasionally, they surface and attack. As we can’t send them back, we secure them here. They are sentient and communal.”

Visibly shocked, the psychiatrist sat and stared. “How do they communicate?”

“We don’t know. They may speak with growls and other sounds. They do have some type of empathic connection to their community. They can be incredibly violent, but not against each other.”

Dr. Nelson shook her head.

“What were you told we do here?”

“National security.” The doctor stared wide-eyed at the Weevil. “With the spaceship over London, the 456 and Miracle Day, I knew there were aliens and things I didn’t understand. But seeing it.” She shook her head.

“Torchwood deals with aliens and any situation that defies science or reality. If the police raid a home and find someone levitating in the main room, we get a call. Unexplained deaths, seemingly impossible situations and odd-defying circumstances.”

“How do you cope?”

Gwen shrugged. “At some point, you realize the terrifying and miraculous are normal.” The first time she saw a Weevil, she thought it was a man in a costume. That made the most sense until it attacked someone. After a few months with Torchwood, a Weevil hunt was just another day.

“Do I get an office?”

“No. For now, you will start in the conference room. It would be best to get acquainted with Torchwood in general for right now. When Jack returns, he can get you started.”

“Where is Captain Harkness?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Butetown; Cardiff, Wales**

“Captain Harkness.” Dr. Guenevere Floyd approached as he and Luc climbed from the Torchwood van. She lowered her voice as she approached. “This is the third body I’ve seen with this cause of death since November. The primary problem with this homicide is not the unidentified chemicals in the drug. London has a bizarre interest in these deaths. Remains are transferred and disappear into a maze of paperwork. There is nothing to indicate anyone is investigating. I’ve spoken with Interpol more than once. Despite similarities and no obvious connection to national security, until now, London has refuted to cooperate.”

“Anyone specific?”

“No.” Dr. Floyd looked tired.

“What are you asking?”

“Claim jurisdiction and the body and work it up for Interpol.” She handed him a folder. “There is a chemical in the drug I have been unable to identify. I’ve sent details to Doctors without Borders and The Hague. I’ve been barred with sending any for testing. Interpol has better resources, though, and hasn’t figured it out. What we do know is the drug is a type of hallucinogenic mushroom.”

Jack led toward the body. “We still need a doctor.”

“I will give you a list of possibles. Again.”

“I gave him the names,” Luc Sarkisian said.

Dr. Floyd laughed. “I know, child. You’re tired of medical duties.”

“I would like to go home.”

Jack had no idea why the kid was homesick for Nova Scotia. The office had been seriously damaged. He had no staff. He’d previously coordinated with the Arctic Observatory. Bryer Deselle and staff participated in the Moss-Probert alien situation by providing an energy source for a device that affected the Rift. It could have destroyed the planet’s atmosphere. Luc had no support. His parents were dead. He had a grandfather he’d never met. His cousin was technically his legal guardian. A responsibility he paid her for. After John relocated Luc to Cardiff, he called Joelle Anderson. She was only concerned about her monthly payment.

Luc reached the body first. The dead man was slumped over behind a dumpster. From the position of the body, Jack suspected the man was hiding when he died. His clothes and shoes were worn, tattered and bloody. Either he’d been captive a long time or he’d scavenged clothes.

“Has he been ID’d?”

“Jorel Baughn.” Dr. Floyd crossed her arms. “Baughn worked for Public Services. He disappeared on his way home from work in December.”

“You knew him?” Jack asked.

“His sister-in-law.”

Jack tapped his ear piece. “Ianto.”

“Hey.”

“Jorel Baughn. I need a police report immediately. Then check Public Services for his work record.”

“And a background check. On it.”

Ianto still sounded depressed. Which was better than angry. Jack hoped he would recognize the overreaction to what happened. His contradictory behavior said the PTSD flared again.

“He has an egg in his pocket.” Luc was still crouched by the body. “A reptile egg.”

A memory tugged. He’d seen a case involving reptile eggs, but he couldn’t remember where.

Luc checked scan readings. “Alien reptile egg.” He stood. “Definitely Torchwood jurisdiction.”

Dr. Floyd removed her mobile from her pocket. “I am sending an updated list.

 

Kol Puzzo stood back and watched the scene. He scanned the body earlier and did not like the results. Champignons Noirs should not have been a problem yet. In another ten years, a South African broker would extensively use the drug. Hundreds of people would die during interrogations and in retaliation for various crimes. He’d already seen recreational versions of CN locally.

He needed to find the local source. The egg he planted on Baughn came from a terrarium he found hidden in a London politician’s basement. He wouldn’t have risked an actual egg, but the clone was harmless enough. Even if the creature hatched and survived, it couldn’t produce more. Payne Leavins was a pimp and recreational drug dealer and could only give him the name of a go-between. Unable to get usable information, he could only assume a connection between the drug and South Africa.

Adding to the problem was corrupt law enforcement and/or government officials in London. Dr. Floyd’s attempts to investigate the drug brought it to his attention. By involving Torchwood, she exposed some type of conspiracy and became a liability. He would need to keep an eye on her. If someone did come after her, he might get usable information.


	4. Chapter 4

**After School; Cardiff, Wales**

Ianto Jones found the police reports and employment records and downloaded everything. When he ran a background check he found an information block. Overriding the classified status was possible, but he would leave it for Jack to handle. Jack enjoyed breaking rules.

An alarm on his phone sounded. A quick check of the time said he needed to pick up Anwen and Trefor. With the new woman, he wondered if Gwen wanted the kids taken home instead of brought to the hub. He dropped her a text message. Then grabbed his coat.

He remembered to check notes after climbing into the car. Anwen’s report was due on Wednesday. She insisted on writing about advances in equine medicine. The information he looked up about home-schooling and expectations for ten year olds said her teacher was in for another shock. Mrs. Llewyllen would question whether or not Anwen was the one doing her homework again. The winter break project required an impromptu presentation to prove Anwen knew the material.

Wales Community Daycare was closer than Blodau Glas Academy. The facility had impressive security and was open to parents who worked for city or state government and others whose occupations meant abduction risks like Torchwood. Miss Stella, one of the providers, carried Trefor as she often did. More than once she’d commented on the possibility of autism. Trefor had a temper, required space and some routine. Having met General Trefor Williams, a future version, he doubted it. Which he couldn’t explain to Miss Stella. He suspected Trefor’s problems had more to do communication and control. When he learned, he’d probably settle down. The general had anger issues, but his temper ran cold not hot.

“He got into a fight today.” Stella handed him over inside the class room. “A three year-old took a toy from a nonverbal four year-old.” Trefor had a bruised face. “He took it back.”

“How bad is he hurt?”

“A few bruises. He could have really hurt the boy with blocks. He didn’t try.” Stella straightened out Trefor’s hair. “I’ve worked with kids for fifteen years and I don’t understand Trefor.” She met his gaze. “Did his sister have problems at this age?”

“I don’t know.” Ianto died before Anwen was born, and when future Torchwood returned him, Anwen was already ten years old. “I can ask Gwen.”

Stella hesitated. “Does he get enough attention at home? I rarely see his parents.”

Trefor would not tolerate being ignored for long. Much like his biological father. “He does. It’s simply convenient for me to drop him off and pick him up. Rhys owns his own business. Gwen is a Torchwood investigator. My schedule is more flexible.” Trefor rested against Ianto’s shoulder. The toddler was only quiet and cuddly when he’d had a bad day.

Stella nodded. It wasn’t the first time they’d had the conversation. That required explaining his connection to Gwen and Jack. Stella didn’t say anything, but her facial response to finding out he was the uncle’s boyfriend spoke volumes. She didn’t like the arrangement.

“I will be late to pick up Anwen.”

“We didn’t call immediately because the bruises are minor.”

“Gwen will call you.”

Stella nodded but didn’t look convinced.

“Do you hurt?” Ianto carried Trefor toward the car.

“No.” He paused. “Want sister.”

That was normal at least. He asked every day about Anwen. He insisted on having one of her stuffed horses. Ianto kept one in the back of his car. If Trefor was hurt or scared or hungry, he demanded his sister. Anyone seeing it could easily misinterpret. Anwen would play with him and read to him and was the closest when he had a nightmare. But she wasn’t taking care of him.

“Horse!”

Ianto struggled to fasten the car seat first. The cuddly toddler routine might have been for Stella’s benefit. It wouldn’t be the first time he tried manipulating those around him. The radio had to be on an oldies station. He babbled an attempt at the words, mimicking his sister and Rhys.

Once at Blodau Glas Academy, Anwen climbed into the backseat immediately. “What happened to Trefor’s face?” She fastened her seatbelt.

“Mean boy.”

Ianto explained what Stella told him before turning out of the school car park.

“Why didn’t she call mom?”

Ianto wondered that himself. Stella’s explanation sounded good at the time. Parents had sued over lesser things.

“There is a boy who picks on all the kids. I don’t think he bothers Trefor much. He’s a bad target.” She sounded proud. “He’d punch instead of cry.”

“Does your mother know?”

“I don’t know.” Anwen obviously hadn’t thought about it.

“Did you talk to Trefor about bullies?” Ianto figured he already knew the answer.

“Yeah. I told him if the bully tried hurting one of the other kids he needed to help.”

“Stop mean boy.” Trefor repeated.

“There are kids in his group with problems. The bully should have been dealt with by now.”

The kid’s parents were probably connected. Gwen would need to schedule a parent conference. Jack might have to make calls.

“Are we going home?”

“Yep. There is a new woman, Dr. Nelson, at the hub.”

“Mom needs to see Trefor’s face. Then she can call Miss Stella.”

Ianto pulled into a car park and picked up his mobile. He called Jack instead. He didn’t want to tell Gwen over the phone, and she didn’t want Dr. Nelson to see the kids at the hub.

“Are you back at the hub already?” Jack asked.

Ianto explained the situation.

“Bring them to Torchwood. Gwen will feel better if a full medical scan is done.”

Ianto suspected Gwen wasn’t the only one who would feel better.


	5. Chapter 5

** Jorel Baughn’s House; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness parked the Torchwood van in front of the house. The nice houses and well-tended properties made him think of their own neighborhood. It wasn’t an area that often saw police. More likely than not, if the police car arrived, it was a domestic situation or possibly a nuisance call. 

“How could I not know, Jack?” Gwen kept it together better than expected. “I get home at five most nights. We have dinner, we spend time together, we go places on the weekend.” Gwen sighed. “How could I not know?”

“Did you speak to Stella Shone?”

“Yeah. She tried to tell me the same crap she told Ianto. She wouldn’t tell me who the boy is or why nothing had been done. She tried to convince me that Trefor exaggerated.” Gwen took a deep breath. “He has bruises on his face and his side.”

“He defended another boy.” That was more important than the bruises. The bruises would heal. Trefor normally ignored everything going on around. He had to realize there was a problem to intervene.

“Anwen told him to.”

“Mrs. Baughn needs you right now. She waited three months, holding on to the hope she would get her husband back.” Jack patted her leg. 

Gwen tried to ignore him. “We’re doing the notification? Are we positive on the ID?”

“Yeah. Dr. Floyd recognized Baughn. Luc ran prints and facial recognition.”

He rested his hand just above her knee. She couldn’t ignore that. “Trefor and Anwen are safe. Ianto has handled home invasions, exploding aliens and biomechs.”

Gwen set her hand over his. “We shouldn’t be alone when I’m stressed.”

He was only trying to distract her. She wasn’t the only one at risk for making a mistake. It somehow reminded him of the night she accidentally walked in on him and Ianto in the hub. Before she was married. Before the 456 turned their lives upside down. “Naked hide-and-seek is still a possibility.”

“Ianto might agree and embarrass both of us. Rhys would threatened to kill you. Repeatedly. Creatively.”

Jack laughed. “After a few beers, he might join us.”

Gwen covered her face in her hands as the red crept toward her ears. “Oh God.”

Jack leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Valentine’s Day could be a double date. Well, not  date .” He reminded himself he was going for ridiculous. “Ianto moved the carnivorous plants out of the garden. We have the alien fruit tree and that rubber snake John left. Garden of Eden theme.”

“Jack, you’re awful.”

Smiling, he sat back. “You’re no longer stressed.” 

 

Gwen Cooper was dying of embarrassment as she stepped out of the van onto the curb. The image of the four of them sitting in the Torchwood garden naked was stuck in her head. Leave it to Jack to turn a potentially problematic situation into something so mortifying she couldn’t help but admire his tactic. She’d seen Rhys drunk enough to start stripping, and wonder if Jack had, leading to even worse thoughts. Getting her outward appearance under control by the time she reached the door took some effort. Jack brushed her hand with his while they stood at the door and she wanted to hit him. 

A tired woman in her late thirties answered. Gwen had seen the look before during notifications. Three months of not knowing, worrying and praying could take its toll on a person. When she recognized Jack, as people often did because of the distinctive retro clothes, the woman looked like she might fall. Gwen opened the screen door and reached for her. 

“No.” She shook her head.

“Mrs. Baughn, I’m Gwen Cooper of Torchwood.” One of the downsides of her job was she never showed up with good news. It was always bad. 

“What happened to Jorel?” Mrs. Baughn finally asked after she helped her onto the sofa in the living room.

“He died sometime this morning.” Gwen knelt on one knee next to the sofa. “Torchwood has claimed jurisdiction. The initial ME findings is homicide. We will review the case before a formal determination is made.”

“Why?” She hesitated. “Why would someone hurt Jorel?”

“In order to find out, ma’am, we need information.”

“Everything is in Jorel’s office.”

“Would it be all right for Captain Harkness to check?”

 

Jack Harkness stepped through the office door. The small, tidy space showed no signs of a police search. The organization and lack of dust said a lot about Mrs. Baughn. A file cabinet in the back corner had notes taped to the drawers. Brief descriptions in feminine handwriting beneath the original labels.

He opened the drawer for projects, and chose a folder at random. The file talked about a city park. A study had been done on soil and water. Baughn had extensive notes on planting trees. It made Jack wonder if Baughn was a botanist. He replaced the folder and chose another one. The last one had comments that caught his attention.

Baughn reportedly found unusual mushrooms. He’d received reports of oddly behaving animals. Dead animals and insects found in the area were known to eat mushrooms. 

Jack tapped his ear comm. “Luc are you there?”

“He’s in his lab,” Ianto replied.

“Baughn has information about mushrooms. Check his work files. Luc needs to review soil and plant reports.” Jack read the location specifics.


	6. Chapter 6

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Bree Nelson kept thinking about C.S. Lewis and Alice in Wonderland. After Gwen left with Captain Harkness, she had nothing to do and decided she needed to familiarize herself with the facility. She found a map using one of the tablets that might have been more of a joke rather than a guide. It had room labels and notes on who posted updates. 

Luc’s Lab was a new entry. She’d seen Luc Sarkisian briefly when he returned with Captain Harkness. The young man looked seventeen or eighteen. His body language told a different story, and his eyes said he hadn’t been a child in years. Finding his lab was simple, she followed the music. Loud and metal, it seemed to vibrate the walls. The door had a Canadian flag sticker and a notice that trespassers would be fed to something.

She avoided the cells. One section Captain Harkness labeled “here there be dragons” and “do not enter.” The only note she could access said “guard dog nest.” She wondered if that had to do with the pterodactyl she saw earlier. Which reminded her of what Gwen said. They had a dinosaur guard dog that liked barbecue sauce.

The infirmary was locked. The security panel said she didn’t have access. A nearby supply closet had various equipment; most she didn’t recognize. Two backboards were stacked against the side. One had an Aladdin label in childish handwriting. When she touched it,  Magic Carpet Ride started playing. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

Various storage and maintenance rooms were locked. Like the infirmary she didn’t have access. One listed on the map said Roombas which had her picturing vacuum cleaners. The entry said John Hart updated it last year. A small, red warning symbol blinked on the summary page. Luc added it.  Hart’s Calypso and Confetti program infected all the bots and needs to be purged. She wondered if the vacuum cleaners played music like the backboard.

Another room in the area had been updated repeatedly in the last several months. The current listing called it Ianto’s office. She’d seen him briefly a couple times since she arrived. She wasn’t sure what, but something was going on with him. His relationship with Captain Harkness looked intimate and strained. He was the only one she’d seen wearing a gun in the hub, although Gwen and the boss were both armed when they left.

“Lost?” The child’s voice came from behind her. She hadn’t heard the girl approach.

“Just looking around.” Bree turned to see a ten or eleven year-old who looked a lot like Gwen Cooper. 

“Right. What did Uncle Jack hire you to do?”

“Community liaison.”

She laughed. “Work he doesn’t want to do.”

“Anwen.” Ianto stepped into the office door.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t bother the doctor.” She headed into the office past Ianto.

Bree turned back. “You babysit?”

Ianto returned to the office. A thud and sizzling caught her attention and she stepped into the doorway. A toddler sat in the corner with blocks. Two suspended in mid-air above his head. He threw another one. It sizzled and shimmered on impact with some type of energy and stuck.

“Playpen,” Ianto explained heading for a desk in the back of the room. 

The room looked very different from the conference room. It had two desks. Ianto’s and one next to the door. Anwen sat behind it with a laptop and one of the tablets next to it; a more advanced computer system had been pushed aside. There was a work bench on the opposite side of the room. None of it looked child-safe. The playpen appeared to surrounded a five-by-five foot square area beyond the cluttered table.

“What’s holding the blocks in the air?”

“A modified ballistic shield,” Anwen said. “It keeps Trefor out of trouble.”

Bree wondered about the expression on her face. She had to be staring. Definitely Alice in Wonderland. “Is there something I should be doing?” 

“Do you have knowledge of pathology?” Ianto asked.

“Some. I worked at a morgue while I was in medical school.”

Ianto stood and moved a chair over to the front of his desk. “Luc is running blood and tox screens from this morning. We have autopsy reports from Interpol.”

“Okay.” She crossed the room.

He held his hand out for the tablet she was holding. He quickly accessed a different program and handed it back to her. “A city employee was found dead. The ME has seen three unusual drug overdoses. We have Baughn’s body, but no autopsy, and nothing on the previous three except Dr. Floyd’s memory. Interpol has several cases for comparison.”

“We’re discussing homicides.” She motioned toward Anwen.

“This is my family’s business, Dr. Nelson. My mother, sometimes my father, my uncles. One day I’ll be doing the notifications with Uncle Jack instead of my mom. I know what the job is. I won’t have nightmares because Jorel Baughn had a fatal overdose this morning.”

“Problem with the report?” Ianto asked.

“Yep. Mrs. Llewyllen wants age-appropriate words. Some of these terms don’t translate to any of the word lists we’re suppose to be using. She’s already going to be an arse about the topic. If I wrote about dressage instead of medicine, she might not accuse you of writing it for me. Maybe if Luc translated it into French, it would girlie enough for her.”

“Have your mom read it?”

“Mom doesn’t understand veterinary terms.”

“She can point out what needs to be explained.”

Anwen grumbled.

“Gwen said you were the office manager?” Bree wondered aloud.

“Yep.”

It was the strangest office she’d ever been in. When the toddler started stomping around, followed by thuds, sizzles and giggles, she really wondered what she got herself into.

 

Luc Sarkisian sat in his lab wishing again he was home with his own computer system and equipment. The eight workstation screens showed eight different projects. One monitored Rift activity continuously. The others he changed as needed. Currently he was searching Torchwood Three files, remotely accessing the mainframe with London records, Interpol, less known areas of the Internet, a conspiracy theorists database and left one for notifications.

The scanning equipment was far superior to his own. He gave Harkness credit for that. He already had results on Baughn’s biological samples. He could easily run comparisons to results he could access. Physics and robotics made more sense to him. 

Exposure to asbestos and other outdated material associated with the steel industry gave him enough information to start. He searched local government databases on pollution and contamination. A comparison of chemical composition gave him a good idea. There was no way Jorel Baughn got from where he was being held to where he was found. Luc wondered if Baughn was alive when he was dropped off.

He thought again of his lab in Nova Scotia when the Torchwood London search found a comparable case. The strangest problem he faced in Canada was coordinating with different law enforcement agencies. He’d dealt with alien devices, a super virus, and even a mad scientist cloning mammoths and saber-tooth tigers.

What he didn’t have was Torchwood London. A previously classified file on alien reptiles and eggs found in the British Virgin Islands. Captain Harkness transported the creatures which excreted a drug into surrounding plant-life. It was the familiar handwriting on scanned notes that caught his attention. Ruthie Beaupre, generational Torchwood, and a biology student at the university of Quebec. Luc could only stare at the information. 

Jack took him in after the attack on Torchwood Nova Scotia and gave him a job and an apartment. At some point, Jack found accurate information about him and what he did for Torchwood. For Christmas, he received a nice chess board for Christmas and comments about his school chess competition record. At no time, did Jack mention having known Ruthie Beaupre, his mother. 

A notification disrupted his thoughts. A search of the mainframe uncovered an explanation. The Torchwood Institute in London knew where the killer drug came from. They created it. Tons of files on research and development. Genetic manipulation advanced with alien technology resulted in reptiles that laid eggs that didn’t need fertilization. The offspring were weak and infertile but the eggs still excreted the chemicals needed to produce the drug. They were openly searching for more of the creatures that apparently came through the Rift and headed for warm, tropical places to lay eggs.

Luc transferred the file from the London mainframe to Torchwood Three.

“Computer, pause music.” He tapped his ear com. “Jack.”

“Find something?”

“Unfortunately. We have a serious problem.”


	7. Chapter 7

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness stepped into Ianto’s office. He couldn’t help but think the room had been turned into daycare. Trefor played Godzilla with his blocks. Anwen sat at John’s desk; she was the only one that used it, but it was John’s desk. Bree sat across from Ianto. She looked less like a deer caught-in-the-headlights when she turned to look at him.

Gwen moved around him and over to Anwen. 

“I need some help.”

“When we get home.”

Anwen nodded. “Trefor’s okay.”

“Good.” She kissed Anwen on top of the head and moved over to Trefor.

“Baughn has Rift energy similar to the people from the mall.” Anwen commented. “I can only guess he ingested a lot more.”

“I download reports and files. Baughn’s background check failed. The information is classified. Everything is blocked now.”

“Go ahead, Bree.”

“The Interpol files are strange. Investigators have coordinated with various health agencies, and have evidence of a drug killing the victims. But tests results have been unable to identify the drug.”

Gwen removed Trefor from the playpen. “I need to take them home, Jack.”

“Go.”

Trefor held his arms out as Gwen stopped to wait for Gwen. Jack picked him up. “Play blocks.”

“You’re going home. Play blocks with Rhys.”

Trefor kicked him. 

“Storytime,” Anwen said tugging Trefor’s foot as she passed them into the hallway.

“Story.” 

Jack handed him back. “Later.”

“He’s a handful.” Bree commented a few minutes later.

Luc stepped into the doorway. “Who is?”

“Do you have the report on Baughn? Bree is reviewing medical tests.”

Luc held up a tablet. “Yeah. And a location where Baughn was held.” 

“What’s wrong?”

“Torchwood London created the drug using reptiles found in the British Virgin Islands in 1990.”

Jack hadn’t thought about that in a long time. The memories like most were hazy.

“Ruthie Beaupre wrote the initial file.”

“A conversation for another time.” He might not remember the reptiles, but he did remember Luc’s mother. Ruthie and Art were killed in Nova Scotia three years ago. He hadn’t known the details until after John brought Luc to Cardiff. Fourteen year-old Luc Sarkisian took over the Nova Scotia office with minimal input from Bryer Deselle. He had a guardian on paper.

Ianto stood. “Where was Baughn held?”

“An old steel mill. I sent you the details.”

“Will you help Bree access files?” Ianto grabbed his coat and his shoulder holster.

“Yeah.”

Jack followed Ianto out of his office. “When did you take over?”

“When babysitting and office management became the same job.”

 

(old mill); Cardiff, Wales

Jack scanned the area. He didn’t like the results. 

“What?” Ianto asked.

“There is technology in the area consistent with a Torchwood facility.”

He unplugged his phone. There weren’t a lot of people who could answer questions about Torchwood London. Past or Future. Ianto worked in an office.

“Williams.”

“How’s Kenya?”

General Trefor Williams groaned. “Hot. What do you want, Jack?”

Jack read the address of the tablet Ianto held out for him. “Mean anything?”

“Should it?”

“Abandoned warehouse with Torchwood technology. It was used to hold a government employee and torture him for three months.”

“Ask Sarkisian. His grandfather did London wet work. Ran with spooks.” Williams paused. “After the London Institute burned he went underground.”

“Ronald Beaupre? He died in the 1990s.”

Williams laughed. “Derrin Talbot faked their deaths. They ran black sites.” A beat. “Janne Talbot would know how to contact them. Just be careful with Janne. She’s had a lot of years to perfect the hapless woman routine. If you question her in front of Langford, she won’t tell you anything.”

A woman spoke in the background.

“Miriam says hi.”

“Did I interrupt?”

“Would it matter?”

“You’re an ass.”

“I take after my father. Give my regards to Ianto.”

Jack plugged the phone back in. “Why is the general sending his regards?”

“I threatened to shoot him.”

Jack rubbed his temples. “Again?”

“Yep.”


	8. Chapter 8

** Cape Town, South Africa **

** Saturday, February 2, 2020 **

Seventeen year-old Aman Oliveira sat on a blanket in De Waal Park with his  friend Kailen Sylla and Kailen’s twin sister Eryn. She carefully removed wrapped packages from a picnic basket. They’d been forced to pretend he was dating her for more than a year. No one questioned it. Not their friends. Not their family. Eryn agreed because dating a powerful man’s son meant few messed with her.

The day was beautiful at least. A bright, clear sky and perfect warm autumn weather. The park was crowded with kids, families and a few couples strolling through the trees. He was envious of the young couples holding hands. It wasn’t safe. His father didn’t approve, but knew, and instilled safety concerns. While he suspected the great Bashiri Oliviera didn’t want a gay son, the concerns were valid. His father’s associates came from less understanding areas. Whether it was Christian or Muslim extremists, they both had issues with homosexuality. 

A nice breeze rustled through the overhead leaves. A tree of birds squawked and took flight. 

“There is a party next weekend.” Eryn opened the first sandwich. “A live band. A good one.”

“Where?” Aman figured it had something to do with his father, and she wanted an invitation.

She hesitated. “That new garden club. Your dad knows the owner Erik Obasanjo.”

“Bad idea, Er. Obasanjo is a human-trafficker. He coordinates between buyers with specific orders and the groups that abduct people to fill the orders.” He’d had the misfortune of meeting a couple of the buyers agents. They were mercenaries from the Middle East and Southeast Asia no one he wanted to share space with.

Kailen was ever the peacekeeper, and suggested, “We could go to that music festival instead.” 

“We went last year.” Eryn sighed.

The startled birds made him wonder. The people were also reacting to something. Something looked and felt off for several minutes but he hadn’t been sure what. The it occurred to him. “There are too many armed men.”

Kailen nodded. “People are leaving.”

“Eryn,” Aman said, “Wallet, keys and mobile. You’re leaving everything else.”

“Who are they?” Kailen asked as Eryn broke down her purse.

“Mercenaries.” Their movements suggested they were well-trained. Their clothes and body language made them stand out. Locals would know how to blend. 

“How are we doing this?” Kailen tried to sound calm.

“We’re being herded toward the trees. The man on my right is green. When I move, take cover, but do not run for the trees.”

Aman feinted toward the obvious ambush point and drew the gun his father gave him. Without a thought, he shot the man in the head. His instructor would have called it impressive. When he’d practiced targets, he’d been asked why he only made head shots. Center mass was an easier target. He’d accurately predicted if anyone ever came for him, they’d be wearing body armor.

The distraction worked and the twins joined him. It bought a few minutes. Aman took the time to quickly scavenge from the dead man’s body. They needed better equipment and an idea of who they were dealing with. One or both of their fathers pissed someone off. 

The Sudanese currency crumpled in the man’s pocket said more than the fancy equipment. Their fathers did business with extremist groups, but Obasanjo specifically had contacts in Sudan. 

“We have to go.”

He agreed with Kailen. Aman grabbed the dead man’s gun and a grenade and they ran.

Trying to out think people was problematic without information. They attempted to herd them into an ambush, and obviously hadn’t expected him to be armed. Professionals would have prepared for something to go wrong. Which meant they were going to encounter plan B at some point.

 

Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales

Jack Harkness sat in the conference room with Dr. Bree Nelson. The psychiatrist showed no indication of remembering her previous experience with Torchwood, and looked overwhelmed. Her credentials were impressive. He’d kept an eye on her over the years. She’d talked down a gunman in Belfast and worked with civilian survivors of war zones. The lost woman he’d seen in the last two days looked very different.

“A press release asking for information about people farming mushrooms, and advising people of a dangerous new drug resembling magic mushrooms. They should not approach growers.” Bree’s Scottish accent thickened. “We’re providing a website and email, but no phone number.”

“Yes.”

“With a website, we can easily provide pictures. Some mushrooms look different. It could lower the number of unnecessary emails.”

“It’s not the type of mushroom, but the chemical contaminating them.”

“We’re not including that?”

“The hallucinogenic chemical is excreted by alien reptile eggs. The contamination is from incubating the eggs with the growing mushrooms.”

Bree stared at him. “You’re serious?”

“Yes.”

The door opened and Ianto stepped in. He eyed Bree briefly. They hadn’t had an opportunity to talk about her yet. 

“Excuse me.” He stepped out of the room with Ianto.

“Cape Town police are reporting a shoot-out at a local park. Aman Oliveira age seventeen and Kailen and Erin Sylla age eighteen are missing. Several gunman believed to be mercenaries are dead from unknown causes. Witnesses describe seeing an elderly Asian man enter while people fled. He told witnesses his name was Charon.”

“Bobby Zhao, the ferryman.” What little they knew about him came from General Williams.

Ianto nodded.

“Get information from Interpol.” Future Aman said he agreed to die to save his childhood friend.

“Ahead of you. Bashiri Oliveira is a local organized crime boss, and Chenzira Sylla is a known associate. Cape Town law enforcement have information that Oliveira angered an associate of Erik Obasanjo, another local crime boss. Aman has a price on his head.”

“Have we heard anything recently from the refuge?”

“No. I dropped Keara Monfort a message and asked her to call.”

Jack reached up slowly and lightly brushed the side of his hand over Ianto’s cheek. He closed his eyes. “If you’re worried about Bree, Gwen’s her type.”

“’You people and your quaint categories.’” Ianto quoted him about sexuality.

Jack kissed his forehead. “We will work this out.”

Ianto surprised him by reaching up and drawing him in for a kiss. When their lips parted, Jack set his forehead against Ianto’s. “Date tomorrow? Luc can hold the fort.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Section: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds**

**University Hospital of Wales; Cardiff, Wales**

Gwen Cooper parked the Torchwood van in a reserved parking space as instructed by hospital administration.

“Teenagers took drugs, got sick and were hospitalized.” Luc Sarkisian still sounded annoyed. When the call came in, he didn’t want to leave the hub.

She agreed it was stupid. “We have to check it out. One of the doctors is concerned by the symptoms.”

Which was the only reason he agreed to get in the van. As the youngest of the team, and closest in age to the possible victims, she originally assumed he would be sympathetic. She hadn’t taken into consideration Luc’s general disdain for his peers specifically and people in general. From working with him, she could only guess his point of view had something to do with social difficulties. His IQ, interests and connection with Torchwood made socializing problematic.

“I downloaded information on blood tests, drug tests, drug interactions, and possible problems with street drugs.” He climbed out of the van and fell into step next to her. “Torchwood has very few files on street drugs.”

“Did you read the symptom sheet the hospital sent?”

“Yeah. Just from reading it, and checking information, I would guess magic mushrooms. The only questionable part of the details is similar hallucinations. Regardless of the type of drug, the effects should have been more individual. Watching the same movie or listening to the same music could contribute to similarities.” Luc sounded unconvinced.

“Any Torchwood ideas come to mind?” Gwen asked as Luc held the door for her.

“For hallucinations? Aliens, artifacts, space garbage, bad judgment.”

Gwen chuckled.

“Torchwood Three needs a doctor. Dr. Nelson does have a medical degree.” He said. “I need to go home at some point.”

She wasn’t sure why. His parents were gone. The Nova Scotia hub was a disaster. He never talked about friends or family or anything other than his lab and robots.

“I gave Jack a list of Dr. Floyd’s possibilities again. She sent another copy after Baughn’s death. He’s needs to be autopsied at some point.”

“You should have given the list to Ianto.”

“No. I thought Ianto was going to shoot the general before he returned to Kenya over requests.”

“What happened?”

“I think future Torchwood London has domestic staff from some of what the general said. He asked Ianto to do something.” Luc shook his head. “I don’t know. It wasn’t pretty.”

Gwen couldn’t picture that. From dealing with the future version of her son, she knew he was an ass. He reminded her of Jack when she first met him. She hadn’t considered the possibility he was used to having money; which could explain some of it. Setting Ianto off was another story.

“Mrs. Williams.” Rhona Chahine sounded tired. “Thank you for coming. It’s getting chaotic.”

“What happened?”

The administrator sighed. “Two parents started accusing each other.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “We almost had a brawl in the ICU waiting room.”

“ICU? The kids were transferred?”

“Five of the teens were transferred after their conditions worsened.”

“I need to ask,” Luc said, “Typical hallucinogenics have been ruled out?”

Chahine seemed to just notice him.

“Rhona Chahine, this is Luc Sarkisian. He’s a science prodigy and the closest we have to a doctor currently.” Except for the freaked out psychiatrist.

After a moment, Chahine said, “The problem is similar reactions. The hallucinations are too alike. The blood tests are inconclusive. No obvious poison.”

“Are there any similarities between patients whose reactions were more severe?”

“No. The doctors have been focused on the boy that had the least reaction. His parents are demanding his release from the hospital.”

“Is he still here?” Gwen asked.

“Yes. Malcom Dove is eighteen. He asked security to remove his parents from his hospital room.”

Luc wondered. “Why?

“Dove seems to understand that he might have an answer. He’s already been accepted to medical school.”

“Science nerd?” Luc asked.

“Yes.”

“I would like to talk to Dove.” Luc smiled at Gwen. “You can interview the parents.”

“Thanks.” Gwen narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together.

 

Luc Sarkisian reviewed Malcom Dove’s social media in a nearby waiting room. The simplest explanation was that Dove had something to do with the sickness. He wouldn’t be the first angry nerd that sought revenge. A medical school hopeful would need an impressive background in science to be accepted to a decent school. Which would give him the necessary knowledge and possibly skills.

Five minutes after he started the review, he accessed Torchwood’s computer’s remotely. Dove’s information was to perfect. Happy, smiling pictures, appropriate memes, silly posts on actresses he wanted to date but had no chance. Either he was incredibly superficial or his entire social media footprint was fake.

He knew a teenager in Nova Scotia in high school before passing his equivalency. Will Labre had a picture perfect Facebook account, cheerful emails and a diary he left out for his parents to read. On the surface, Will, like Dove, was the perfect teenage boy. Good grades, good manners, polite on-line and an accomplished social life. He told his parents he was going on dates with his nonexistent girlfriend when he attended chess or math club. His dad was a high school jock and played hockey in college. Then his father found out, forced him to drop the clubs and signed him up for hockey. Will held on for a few months. The coach took pity on him and benched him. When his father ruined that, Will committed suicide.

Suicidal was not the only secret a teenager might keep from his parents. Maybe Dove intended to take off after high school and ditch college. Maybe he had a boyfriend instead of a girlfriend or wasn’t interested at all. He could belong to a subculture. Or oppose his parents religious beliefs or politics.

Dove’s school records showed the necessary subjects and grades for a medical school hopeful. Notes indicated he moved in with a friend and his friend’s parents the day he turned eighteen and successfully petitioned the school to block his parents access to his records. At the same time, he started seeing a counselor. Payment records indicated his schooling was paid for by a trust fund.

He had to call Ianto and ask for help. Hopefully, since the request involved Torchwood research, it wouldn’t be a problem.

“Morning.”

“Morning. I’m researching one of the students at the hospital.” Luc explained what he knew. “Do you know how to access trust records? I need an idea why this guy moved out of his parents’ house. There is something going on. It may or may not have anything to do with the sickness.”

“Give me the information.” Luc did. “Does he have a sister?”

Luc smiled. He hadn’t considered that as he didn’t have siblings. Ianto did. “I don’t know. I will check that next.”

Malcolm Dove had two sisters: Nessa age twenty-one and Jeannette age sixteen. Checking Nessa’s social media gave him an idea what the problem was. According to her, their mother squandered her inheritance and neither parent was employed. The grandkids received access to their money after they turned eighteen and moved out. Their maternal grandparents left strict wills and trusts to prevent the parents from stealing their children’s money.

It didn’t explain the fake social media. He checked Jeannette’s. Strict parenting wasn’t a problem. The girl was all over the place.

Luc texted Ianto what he learned. Then he headed for the designated room. Dove’s response to him would say a lot. He knocked and slowly opened the door. Dove was laying in bed reading a book on new theories of particle physics. One he bought himself a few weeks back.

“Malcolm Dove, I am Luc Sarkisian from Torchwood.” He held out the identification Jack had made for him. “Good book.”

Dove smiled. “Science nerd?”

“Physics.”

“Chemistry, biology.”

Luc smiled. “Good. You know how this looks.”

“Yeah.” Dove closed the book with a bookmark saving his place.

Luc grabbed a chair. “I need to know what happened.”

 

“It just hit,” the teen said. “One minute I’m dancing to bad music and the next I’m on the ground shaking. A lizard face creature was bending over staring at me. Colors were shifting around behind it.”

Gwen kept a neutral expression and listened to the boy continue describing a really bad alien abduction movie plot. Listening to him, she would have guessed he watched a movie while high and had a bad reaction. Two teenagers later, and she had different conclusion. Their stories were exactly the same. From what the doctor said, all of the accounts had minimal variation and their conditions meant it was unlikely they could have fabricated the story. She’d heard fabricated stories. They sounded fabricated and didn’t provide details that varied by the person telling the tale.

“Ma’am.” A harried parent walked up to her. “Are you a medical investigator?”

“Torchwood. The hospital is reaching out to everyone who can help find answers.”

“Aliens? I know my son saw an alien, but I thought it was a bad trip from someone slipping him an hallucinogen.”

“I don’t know.” Gwen was convinced the teenagers willing took the drugs. “We will be reviewing Torchwood files for comparable situations. Other investigators, from various government agencies, will be providing other types of case review.”

The woman massaged her temples. “Other parents are saying Malcom Dove did something because he’s not sick.”

Gwen removed a notebook from her pocket. “Any other reasons?”

“He’s been staying with another family. Hugh and Linda Cattell and their son Eddie. The kids have been merciless.” The woman crossed her arms. “Linnet Conway convinced him it was a date.”

“Is Linnet sick?”

“I don’t know.”

Gwen found the nurse’s station, and showed her Torchwood ID. “Can you tell me the status of Linnet Conway?”

The nurse used her keyboard. “DOA.”

“I need details.”

 

“Linnet,” Dove looked down at his lab. “She was bad. I tried CPR. She’d been a bitch, but…”

She was smart, funny, and pretty. Luc could related. “Is there anything about what she was doing before everyone got sick?”

Dove shook his head. “No.”

Luc looked up from his notes. “You saw who was the sickest. Is there any connection?”

“Yeah. Me. All bullied me.”

Shit. “Do you have any unusual or unexplained items, devices, anything?”

“No. I have access to two labs. One at school. One through the family I’m staying with.” He provided addresses and phone numbers.

“Has anything weird happened to you before?”

“I survived a sailing accident when I was eight. I took off my life jacket while my parents weren’t paying attention. The boat capsized. I was found three hours after my parents and sisters were rescued. I don’t know the details. My parents won’t talk about it.”


	10. Chapter 10

**St. David’s Mall; Cardiff, Wales**

Pizza felt normal, Anwen Williams thought, sitting at a restaurant table with her father and brother. Her dad was having problems with his haulage firm and wouldn’t talk about it. Trefor was cranky, but at least not throwing pepperoni. She needed normal.

After what happened in Southeast Asia, life seemed to return to sane. The side-effects of fighting the Rift faded, leaving her the occasional bad headache. Wynne and Teleri stopped asking about the headaches after her mom and the Torchwood situation in Cardiff made the news. It wasn’t mentioned but people obviously wondered if their was a connection between the sudden health problems and Torchwood. A few of the other kids looked at her strangely, but no one said anything. The popular girls even tried bullying her the other day. 

Her MP3 player changed songs reminding her of John. She missed him. She hadn’t seen him since he left with Uncle Jack for Vietnam. Originally, she worried he hadn’t survived. Then she received a silly card for Halloween about the dangers of cowboys and pumpkins and knew he was all right. For Christmas she sensed him briefly downstairs. He left her a present from the Tooth Fairy in the storage room with his security system. The MP3 player came pre-loaded with a song by the Doors called  When you are Strange . Her father didn’t understand why she found it funny.

Normal was at the front of her mind since they came to the mall. Something felt off immediately. Trefor tended to act up more when something felt off which made her think he could sense it to. She mentioned it to Jack because she needed to say something and got the impression he already suspected. Occasionally, she sensed things she didn’t understand. It was like seeing something out of the corner of her eye. It kept grabbing her attention but she couldn’t figure out why.

Then she felt them. She excused herself from the table, confusing her father, and headed for the front of the restaurant. She took pictures of a man and a woman as they walked by. When she’d first asked her parents for the mobile with a camera, they thought it was a kid thing. She explained that if she sensed someone with Rift energy or a time signature, she wanted to take their picture and a camera was too risky. Her mum surprised her by talking to Uncle Jack; it became a Torchwood expense she had yet to justify. 

“What was that?” her dad asked as she returned to the table.

“Earning my fancy mobile,” Anwen said quietly while sending the pictures to Torchwood. She then texted Ianto a message explaining the pictures, where she took them, when and why. He would be able to access the mall’s cameras and ideally get a better picture of them.

“Rift energy.” She set the mobile on the table. “Probably aliens.”

Her dad stared at her. 

Anwen shrugged. “It’s why I have the mobile.”

“Eat your pizza.”

Trefor threw pepperoni and hit their dad in the face.

 

Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales

Jack Harkness headed for his office. Bree felt she had an idea what he wanted and would bring it to him to review. He hoped she would be ready to handle tasks soon. They had to much work. 

Gwen entered as he sat behind his desk. “Do we have an update?”

“Three of the fifteen teenagers have died. Three are in ICU and not expected to make it.” Gwen explained about magic mushrooms, similar hallucinations and the connection to Malcolm Dove. “We don’t know if its connected to Baughn yet. Luc is reviewing Dove’s Torchwood file. Multiple entries for miraculous survival and other oddities.”

Jack nodded.

“Ianto transferred photos Anwen took at St. David’s Mall.” Gwen explained. “The security footage shows a possible drug buy.”

“Did she say Rift energy or aliens specifically?”

“Rift energy.”

“Check out the drug dealer. Have Luc check the kids at the hospital for Rift energy.”

“Luc requested information on Dove’s trust fund. Ianto said you needed to get the information.” Gwen hesitated. “Is Ianto having another flare?” 

“Yeah.”

“What happened?”

“Last week, Friday, Cory invited us to a party. Not one of his events. He was drunk and kissed me. I didn’t stop him quick enough.”

“He thinks you’re going to leave him for Cory?”

“No. He said he wants to move out. He’s been on the sofa for more than a week.”

Gwen tilts her head. 

“Yeah. He’s sleeping on the sofa and making me breakfast.” Jack hoped the kiss earlier meant something changed.

“I can talk to him.”

 

Gwen Cooper chose one of the main floor computer workstations. She quickly had enough information through Torchwood and the police department.

“Andy, hey,” Gwen explained the mundane part of the situation. “I have facial rec of one of the two dealers. Marlowe Haskin goes by Marley. You arrested her eighteen months ago.”

“Yeah. I know Marley.” 

“I need to speak to her, and get a sample of the drugs she’s selling. If they’re contaminated, we have a problem.”

“How bad is it?”

“It could be nothing. It could be connected to the fifteen kids in the hospital.”

Andy swore.

“Where should we meet?”


	11. Chapter 11

** Splott (neighborhood); Cardiff, Wales **

Gwen Cooper parked behind Andy’s police cruiser on Carlisle near Janet Street. The sun had already set. The street lights cast the area in odd colors and shadows. Not much stirred. The driver of a slow moving car eyed them as he passed.

“Hey.”

“Long day?” Gwen asked.

“Stupid day.” He looked tired. “I made a couple calls. Harley is at a party. It’s about to be raided.”

“Where?” 

“Follow me.”

She saw the police cars before they reached the same block. The raid had already gone down. Constables were removing people from the house. Gwen held her credentials up. She heard a couple Torchwood complaints as she followed Andy into the house. Two constables had the young woman she recognized from the CCTV footage in the kitchen. 

“Can you leave us, please?” Gwen asked. “Andy can stay.”

When they left the room, Gwen set her laptop on the counter and removed a small scanning device. The Rift energy was faint. 

“I need you to empty your pockets, Ms. Haskin.”

The young woman simply looked at her with a bored expression. 

“You have something in your possession that’s contaminated. Similar to radiation.” She explained. “Empty your pockets.”

After a brief hesitation, Harkin set a mobile, keys, wallet and Ziploc bags of drugs on the small table. 

“Are those magic mushroom?” Gwen asked.

“I want a lawyer.”

Gwen nodded. “Andy, please step out.”

He left.

“Marley, I’m Torchwood, not the police. Whatever is in those bags is dangerous. I need to know where it came from.”

“Really?” The cocky attitude was fading.

“Yes.”

“Skyla Chinery.” Haskin provided an address. 

“Thank you. Did you give anyone here whatever is in the bag?”

Haskin hesitated. “Yeah.”

“They need to go to the hospital. I need names.” Gwen handed her a pen and paper. 

The young woman quickly wrote a list.

“Thank you,” Gwen said. “Is Skyla the source of whatever?”

“I don’t know.”

Gwen packed up and headed out. “Drug or no drug, what she removed from her pockets is dangerous. It’s not radioactive, but it needs to be placed in a safe box. Anyone who ingested it needs to go to the hospital immediately.” Gwen read off names. 

“Is it terrorism?” One of the constables asked.

“I don’t know. I need to find the source to determine that.”

 

University Hospital of Wales

Luc Sarkisian returned to Malcolm Dove’s hospital room. He’d already spoken to him and figured it required the least amount of explanation. Luc knocked again before stepping inside. “Sorry. We have new information.”

“That bad?”

“Possibly.” Luc set up his laptop. “It’s similar to a Geiger counter.”

“Radiation?”

“Not the Chernobyl type.”

Dove laughed. “Preparing dumb answers for the others?”

“No. It’s a Torchwood situation. The energy involves time and space. It would give Einstein a headache.” Luc scanned Dove. The results were bizarre. Which fit Dove’s Torchwood file. The Rift energy wasn’t new. 

“Results?”

“I don’t know. I need to compare your readings with the others.”

“What are you looking for?”

Luc started packing up his equipment. “A possible explanation for the drug.” 

“Vague.”

“I don’t have details. Bad batches of ‘shrooms are outside my knowledge and experience.” 

Three more discussions and Luc was concerned he would lose his cool. The dumb questions, and blatant ignorance, were worse than the insults. The results were worth the stupidity, however. Each of them had been exposed to Rift energy different from Dove. He needed to check their academic records, but he doubted any of them could understand the situation nevertheless cause it. 

Dove still looked guilty. Intelligent people had committed incredible acts of stupid. If he was a sociopath, it was possible he was playing a game. Luc doubted it. He still didn’t know why Dove’s social media was fake or the story with his family and trust. Whatever secrets Dove was keeping, he doubted Dove tried to kill his classmates. There were better ways for a science nerd to do that without implicating himself. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales**

**Sunday, February 3, 2020**

Luc Sarkisian received the notification while reviewing comparisons between the mushrooms from Baughn, the kids at the hospital and information from Interpol. He checked the camera in the tourist office and saw three teenagers. One of them looked familiar. He wondered for a moment why no one else responded. Then he remembered Dr. Nelson was the only one in the hub with him. Gwen was spending time with her kids. Jack and Ianto went to the mall.

He headed toward the main floor. Dr. Nelson would only be useful if he needed to contact emergency services. Unlike Nova Scotia, the locals didn’t know him. Gwen coordinated with law enforcement.

“Problem?” The doctor was seated at one of the workstations near the sliding door.

“Teenagers in the tourist office.”

“It’s locked.”

Luc walked through the sliding door and up toward the elevator. He followed the hallway to the curtain that separated it from the fake tourist office.

“Good afternoon.” That was lame.

“You’re Torchwood?” The familiar one asked. Then Luc knew why he looked familiar.

“Yes. Luc Sarkisian.” He reminded himself that the guy was not responsible for the crimes of a future version of himself.

“Bobby Zhao sent us.”

The Ferryman, Luc remembered, removing his mobile from his pocket. Ianto said something about Zhao and a situation in South America.

“Problem?” Jack asked after three rings.

“I found Oliveira and the Sylla twins.” Luc explained.

“Twenty minutes.”

“You know who we are?” Eryn asked.

“Yeah.” That conversation would take more than twenty minutes. “Follow me.”

 

**Hughes Flats**

Hours later, Jack Harkness transported the kids to the building. He’d wondered more than once since future Aman died in Southeast Asia if he should track down the present version of him. He had no idea what to say. He wondered if Zhao or anyone else from the Refuge had any explained any of it.

“Why take us in?” Aman demanded as they rode the elevator to the fourth floor.

“It’s complicated. Did Zhao explain anything on the way here?”

“Zhao said that he was the Ferryman for a Refuge in Kenya, and one day I would be the head of a Torchwood office in Nigeria.”

“Yeah.”

“I told Zhao he sounded like a low budget martial arts movie. He thought it was funny.”

“The Refuge is for psychics.” Jack could understand how an explanation sounded like a bad movie.

The elevator door opened.

“What does that have to do with us?” Kailen asked.

“I don’t know.” Jack suspected Kailen was the friend future Aman was trying to save. He led down the hall.

“What do you expect from us?” Aman asked.

“For now, not much.” Jack unlocked the door directly across from his and Ianto’s. “Ianto furnished what he could on short notice.” He pushed the door open, revealing minimal furnishings. “Beds, basics. Ianto is getting groceries and mobiles. There is a notebook and a pen on the counter. Make a list.”

“Clothes?” Eryn sounded uneasy.

“Write down sizes. Ianto doesn’t mind shopping. It will take a few days to work out identities and papers,” Jack explained. “Building security is solid. It would be best to stay inside.” He motioned them inside.

The teens were not convinced.

“Ianto and I are across the hall, if you need anything. Gwen and her family and Luc are on the third floor.”

 

Aman Oliveira looked around the flat. The furnishings were new and the place was clean.

“What is this about?” Eryn asked after the door closed.

Aman wondered where Harkness recognized him from. “I don’t know.”

“He wants something from us,” Kailen said.

But what? Aman couldn’t help but think of the consequences of the De Waal attack if Zhao hadn’t intervened. “The park situation would have been extremely difficult to escape without Zhao.” He took Kailen’s hand. “We need to remember how badly it could have ended.

Eryn hugged them.

 

Jack sat at the small table near the kitchen with a laptop when Ianto returned carrying the notebook from across the hall. He heard him earlier and offered to help carry groceries. Aman picked up on the conflict and insisted him and Kailen could help instead.

“We need to work this out.” Jack had no idea why Ianto reverted to being angry or upset after Luc disrupted the trip to the mall.

“Nothing to work out.” Ianto headed for the coffee pot.

Jack stood, reminding himself about sudden movements. “The PTSD flared again.”

Ianto hesitated.

Jack set his mobile on the counter and played one of the messages Cory left. “I’m sorry, man. I don’t remember kissing you. A friend recorded it with his phone. I thought it was funny until I saw Ianto’s face. Tell him I’m sorry.”

“You’re angry.” Jack lightly set a hand on Ianto’s back. “I understand that.” He paused. “You’re reaction has been over the top and contradictory.”

Ianto set his palms on the counter and closed his eyes. “It’s been rough.” Pause. “I took over your life. The fears. The nightmares. The jealousy.” He hesitated. “I wanted to suggest an open relationship. You’re happy when you’re flirting and free. I…” Pause. “I didn’t know how to say it.”

At first, Jack had trouble following the logic, and than he realized what Ianto was trying to tell him. Ianto was mad at himself. “You’re not a burden.”

“It’s been several months.”

It could take years. “Was it talking to your sister?”

“I didn’t talk to Rhiannon. I don’t know what to say. ‘Hi, I came back from the dead after ten years.’” Ianto turned and looked at him.

Jack offered a hug and Ianto stepped into it.


	13. Chapter 13

** Coedwigoedd Tylwyth Teg (farm;) Wales **

** Monday, February 3, 2020 **

Gwen Cooper yawned from the passenger seat of the Torchwood van. Andy called just after 8 AM with an update. An hour later, she headed out with Jack and Ianto. Rhys would have to get Anwen and Trefor to school.

“The farm was purchased cheap by Skyla Chinery’s distant cousin. Her state record indicates she went to live with her cousin after her parents were killed in an accident fifteen years ago.”

“Definite alien life-forms and Rift energy readings.” Ianto sat in the back viewing one of the consoles. He insisted. “Comparable to London files on the dragons.”

Jack parked on an access road. According to property records, and Google maps, there were barns on the other side. Solar panels generated most of the farm’s energy consumption. It was a possible connection to Moss-Probert, except the farm wasn’t concealing its energy needs. 

“Any concerns?”

“The alien readings are changing,” Ianto replied. “I would guess the creatures are hatching.”

“What type of buildings?”

“Records indicate old barns.” 

“The creatures are tropical?” Gwen asked.

Jack opened his wrist-strap briefly. “What type of farm?”

“Exotic house plants.”

“Greenhouses,” Gwen said.

“Check suppliers and cost of equipment.” Jack reached for the door hand. “Compare with Moss-Probert supplier list to be sure.”

“Gwen,” Ianto said, “Don’t go in the buildings.”

She waited until they were out of the van and walking through the trees. “If they’re hatching in greenhouses, we have a problem.”

“The drug requires ingestion.”

“We don’t know that, Jack,” Ianto countered.

Beyond the trees opened into a clearing with several reinforced, domed structures resembling snow globes. From the outside, they looked like hot houses. On closer inspection, each table had a box beneath covered by dark-colored, opaque glass. Movement inside said the creatures and they had no idea if the buildings could hold them.

“Run. Seal the van.”

 

Jack Harkness scanned the buildings again. With no idea how strong the materials were or how many creatures were hatching, he couldn’t predict the result. From the files, the reptiles would fly for the Rift after they hatched. 

“Jack.” Ianto’s voice came over his ear comm. “You need to get out of there.”

“I agree with Ianto,” Luc added. “Mushrooms reproduce by spore. The possibility of airborne contamination is high.”

“I will live.”

“Yeah. I’m not doing decon.”

Gwen laughed.

“They’re hatching. Readings now indicate young reptiles consistent with Torchwood London files.” Ianto hesitated. “Not all the creatures appear healthy.”

“Download the scans.”

Jack could hear claws against glass. He moved around a dome and saw upwards of twenty of the creatures he vaguely remembered struggling against the dome. Then the sound changed. They found a structural weakness and flew toward the door. Minutes passed before it burst outward.

Jack fumbled with his mobile as his vision started to waiver. 

“Uncle Jack.” Anwen sounded confused.

“Hey, sorry to bother you at school. A flock of creatures are going to fly for the Rift. You need to let them leave.”

“What?”

“A flock of flying reptiles. They will fly for the Rift.”

“Dragons,” she said quietly. “Take a picture for me.”

“I will if I can.”

He lost his balance trying to return the mobile to his pocket. “The drug is airborne.” Jack paused, trying to think. “Check wind.” 

“It’s low right now. The contamination can be contained, if done quickly,” Luc said. 

“I’m starting to hallucinate,” he said. “Pretty aliens.”

 

Gwen Cooper stared at the roof of the van unsure if she should be worried or amused. 

“Luc,” Gwen said, “We need a full decon kit. Do you know where the keys are to my car?”

“Yeah.”

“Include a portable nanogene kit.” Gwen paused. “Do we have a maintenance bot that will fit in my car?”

“Yeah. Does the Calypso/Confetti program affect use?”

“Give Ianto a minute.” She could hear him giving emergency services instructions in the back.

Ianto tapped his ear comm. 

“We need the area blocked off.” Jack sounded high.

“Already made the call. Airborne toxin. Unsure if it weakens over a distance. Full breather suits are recommended. Domestic terrorism is unlikely but possible. Probable source of the drugs that affected the teens. What do you need?” 

Luc repeated.

“No. The programming is just annoying.”

“I’m not thinking clearly,” Jack commented.

“No. You’re high.”

“A reptilian rainbow.”

Ianto groaned, “Of ugly, miniature brown iguanas with wings.”

Jack laughed.

“They appear to be headed for the Rift.”

 

Luc Sarkisian parked at a distance and checked scan readings before unpacking the car. Hiking half-a-mile wearing a full hazmat suit was going to be an experience. 

“Jack,” Gwen said, “Do you know where you are?”

“I can’t remember what planet the fairy-beings are from. The sky is pretty.” He paused. “Who are you, beautiful?”

“I need a few minutes. It’s not going to kill him.” From what he understood from Torchwood files, Jack had been shot, stabbed, blown up and everything else. He would survive. 

At least it’s not radiation, Luc told himself as he finished packing his equipment. Toxic mushroom spores could be easily contained compared to fall-out.

“I brought the rest of Hart’s stun pellets. They can stop a biomech.”

“Jack, Luc is approaching with the hazmat gear.”

“Don’t scare the fairies.”

“You’re hallucinating, Jack.”

“They’re dancing with pretty colors.”

“Luc, be careful,” Ianto said.

“Yeah. Jack might mistake me for one of the imaginary aliens he’s been flirting with for half-an-hour.”

The walk reminded him again of the various reasons he wanted to go home. Dealing with an immortal time agent high on mushrooms contaminated by alien dragon eggs sounded like the plot to a really bad movie. His odds of dying were much higher around Jack. He wanted his computer, lab and robots. If he had to watch sports, he at least understood hockey. The food was better.

“No spores so far,” Luc commented as he passed the Torchwood van. He would have waved but his hands were full.

One of the alarms sounded as he entered the clearing. “The ground is contaminated. Gwen, you’re exposed. Scan yourself. Ianto, it appears to be contact transfer. Are you in the same part of the van.”

“No.”

“Does Gwen have the keys?”

“I can hear you.” 

“Yeah. And Jack is laying on his back in the grass singing. It’s better to assume you’re compromised.”

 

** Torchwood Three **

Ianto Jones waited in the garage with Jack while Luc half dragged/half carried Gwen into the hub. He’d been right about her being exposed. She started hallucinating partway through the equipment decon process. While Luc helped with Gwen, Jack escaped. He’d had to restrain her while Luc chased Jack. They could only guess that the chemical had to rub off her clothes and be absorbed through her skin.

He called Bree Nelson en route and explained there was a medical emergency and they needed the backboards. She didn’t know how they worked, but knew one of them played music. John or Anwen must have reprogrammed it.

Luc returned with a backboard and they wrestled Jack into the restraints. He’d escaped the original set. Ianto decided he didn’t want to know how Jack was proficient enough with their handcuffs to escape while drugged out of his mind. 

“Bondage.” Jack tugged on the safety cuffs. Ianto rolled his eyes upward and prayed for patience. “We could have fun with these.”

“I will stun you again.” Luc was less amused.

Ianto covered Jack’s mouth before he could respond. As expected, Jack licked him. 

“You have the patience of a saint.” Luc commented as they guided the backboard into the hub. They had to use the other elevator as it wouldn’t fit through the main entrance. 

Luc hurried out after they secured Jack. He had more experience with the infirmary equipment and Luc needed to return to the site with maintenance bots to finish decontaminating. They agreed Luc would euthanize all the hatchlings that couldn’t fly. He took containment boxes for the remaining eggs. If he could tell the difference between the creatures, he would only return with the healthy ones.

Dr. Nelson stood in the doorway with wide eyes. “What happened?”

“Hallucinogenic drug exposure.” Both he and Luc tried to explain the situation on the drive back. She hadn’t understood. 

Ianto motioned her into the hallway. “I sent color photographs to the laptop in the conference room. We need a press release. Alien reptiles were found at Coedwigoedd Tylwyth Teg. That translates to fairy forest. Alien dragons and fairy forest. No references to drug exposure, or mushrooms.” 

“Uh.”

“I will write the basics. I need to stay with Jack and Gwen. Luc will fill in the technical details. He’s returning to finish the job.”


	14. Chapter 14

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

** Wednesday, February 5, 2020 **

Gwen Cooper woke in the infirmary with an incredible hangover. The lights were bright and something buzzed in her ears. She could hear someone to one side.

“What happened?” Her words slurred, and she was having trouble remembering what happened.

“Drug overdose.” Luc approached, his foot steps amplified. “The mushrooms weren’t sporing, but the ground and grass were contaminated.”

Gwen pressed her hand to her head. “How long was I out?”

“Less than two days.”

“Jack?” She pushed herself up, making the pain in her head worse.

“He’s doing better. He spent more than twenty-four hours flirting with imaginary people, aliens or singing.”

Gwen laughed which hurt. 

“The nanogenes repaired the physical damage. The hallucinogenic affect is somehow connected to Rift energy or some other type of energy.”

“Is it out of my system?”

“We don’t know.” Luc hesitated. “Anwen can identify some part of the drug. She might be able to tell you.”

Gwen groaned. 

“She knows what happened.”

A thought occurred to her. “If Ianto is babysitting Jack, whose watching my kids?”

“Group effort. Rhys picked them up at school. Ianto dropped them off.”

Gwen swung her legs over the edge. “With me and Jack down, is Torchwood down?”

“No. Aman, Kailen and Eryn rode in with me this morning. Ianto has been running things from Jack’s office with Eryn. Aman is helping Dr. Nelson with research. Kailen has been trying to figure out John’s computer customization.” Luc paused. “I explained to Ms. Chahine that you were injured. The situation at Fairy Forest, which is what the media is calling the farm, made the news. Dr. Nelson distributed the press releases.”

“How are the kids at the hospital?”

“Dove was transferred to Ireland. Jack was lucid enough to tell Ianto who to call last night. Dove’s the only suspect. No one has any explanation for the illness. It’s not a drug side effect as far as I can tell.” Luc sighed. “Seven out of fifteen died. The remaining seven have been checked into a local rehab facility for detox and psychological evaluation. They have varying degrees of potentially permanent side effects.”

Gwen moved to stand.

“Not a good idea.” Luc took her by the shoulder.

Reluctantly, she sat back down. “How long?”

“I don’t know. We need a doctor.”

“You said you had a list? If Jack’s back in charge, remind him.”

“I will. The new bracelet is a medical device that will monitor your health and location. It’s best if you stay in here.” Luc picked up a tablet from a counter. “This is set-up allowing you to read media and other sites on-line. No email or messenger or outside contact.” Luc hesitated. 

Gwen smiled. “In case I start hallucinating again.”

“Yeah. The counter has an intercom, if you need something. The hub computer accepts voice commands for emergency assistance.”

 

It felt strange walking into his office and finding Ianto at his desk. Stranger that he didn’t move.

“Do I get my desk back?” Jack was amused.

“That depends,” Ianto said. “How many people are in this room?”

Jack laughed. “Three.” 

“I took notes.” Ianto stood holding up a yellow legal pad. “Kailen reported a device of John’s has been making strange noises since this morning. It sounded like a fax machine trying to send on a dial-up account at lunch.”

“Your opinion or his?”

“Mine. He didn’t know what I meant.”

Jack held out his arm when Ianto tried to walk past him. “What’s wrong?”

“A lot. The short version is that Cory Lynch is the only person I’ve talked to since Monday who knew who I was. He called with information, and is worried.” Ianto paused. “I started telling people I was your secretary.”

“Gwen’s done that before.”

Ianto’s reaction said it had something to do with her.

“What did I do?”

“If you were lucid enough to not flirt with the furniture, you asked about Gwen. Only Gwen.” Ianto was angry. “Yeah, my PTSD flared. I have reminded myself I wake up with nightmares I don’t remember so out of my head I have punched you.” He took a moment to calm himself. “I know you were drugged.” Ianto left.

“Captain Harkness.” Eryn sounded nervous. “You were worried you killed Mrs. Williams.” She hurried out after Ianto.


	15. Chapter 15

**Section: Glory of Love**

New Torchwood Institute; London, England, 2039

Anwen Williams stood at her kitchen counter preparing to warm left overs when the door opened. John entered as he always did, unsure if he should have knocked. She tried to talk to him more than once, but didn’t know what to say. He loved a version of her that no longer existed. It was an obstacle she didn’t know how to cross.

She still wore the other version’s engagement ring on a necklace. He’d given it to her to hold when she was ten, and she refused to give it back to him. Another conversation she didn’t know how to have. He knew she still wore it. The only thing he asked was about the second ring she’d added to the chain.

That was a stranger conversation. Other Keara gave it to her after she joined Torchwood officially. Getting information out of her temporally-challenged friend always took effort. She’d given up and asked Keara from this time line about her double. Apparently, after global destruction in a different time line, she’d been involved with Other Keara. After everything, finding out she was potentially bisexual was not particularly shocking. Being given a second engagement ring intended for another version of herself was another story.

“Come in.” She stood in the kitchen.

“Langford said you wanted to talk to me.”

“Uncle Jack said you were thinking about leaving.”

“Yeah. After the meeting with Aman.” He hesitated, continuing across the room. “I have been on Earth for years.”

“Where will you go?”

“I don’t know.”

Except he did. “I wouldn’t approve?”

“No.”

She moved around the counter. “How do I convince you to stay?” Even after six years sober, she suspected he’d revert to his previous bad behavior, if he left.

“Its not that simple, darling.”

“I don’t want to lose you.” She reached for his hand.

He twined their fingers. “You won’t.”

 

Days later, Anwen stepped through the rubble in the grass. A bomb ripped through the upper floor near her office and flat. The residual energy suggested the device or part of it came through the Rift. Jack was in Hong Kong arranging transport of a cache of alien artifacts. John was in Africa. Trefor was returning from Spain. And the general was in Ireland. The timing was suspect. She was scheduled to be in her office having a meeting Rex arranged with a South American crime boss.

“Everyone is accounted for except John.” Ianto had a new generation Torchwood hand-held computer. “Langford Talbot is in the infirmary. He was returning late when it blew.”

She wasn’t certain of much, but John wasn’t in there. He went to Nigeria to consult with Aman about a local training program. They were establishing more offices and needed people for support positions. Aman had ideas about employing people from low-economic regions.

“Aman called half-an-hour ago. John and Dael aren’t there. He made arrangements to transport Dael from a hospital in Cameroon. He suspects she had something to do with John’s disappearance. Local law enforcement connected Dael’s injuries to an attack that left four local men dead.”

“Any ideas on motive?” She had to keep her head. John had survived insane things long before he knew what Torchwood was.

“Nothing specific.”

“John has more enemies than Jack.”

“Yep.” As much as she hated it, there was nothing she could do for John. “Ask any of the usual well-wishers checking on my safety or hoping I’m dead for information. No one plans an attack on Torchwood without someone hearing something.”

“We have another problem.”

Anwen looked at him. 

“Dr. Sarkisian reports the Other Keara is missing.”

“How long?”

“He’s not sure. Eryn is sick again and he was at home at the time.”

“I don’t like this. Contact Dublin and find out what Keara knows about her double.” And John. 

Ianto set a hand on her shoulder. “Miriam is helping Aman sort through what happened in Cameroon.”

Anwen wasn’t as confident as Ianto sounded. The people responsible had to know about John’s connection to Torchwood and the Refuge. Both Aman and Miriam had impressive reputations and would be expected to pool resources to find him. If they were prepared enough to take him, they were prepared to keep him.

She set her hand over John’s ring. “Come home, John.”


	16. Chapter 16

** Coffi Chwerthinllyd; Cardiff, Wales **

Luc Sarkisian held open the coffee shop door for Eryn. She smiled. He’d already noticed she liked small gestures and old fashion manners. She’d worn a dress and nice shoes. If he’d known, he wouldn’t have worn jeans.

“What language is this?” Eryn asked quietly, looking at a menu.

“Welsh. The item names are jokes.” He couldn’t remember the translation.

“You speak Welsh?”

“No. I asked Ianto. I speak English, obviously, French, Armenian, some Latin, some Spanish.”

“I know a little French. I’m good with Zulu and not so good with Xhasa.” She smiled wrily. “Not very useful in Europe.”

“It’s different.” Luc ordered. 

Eryn hesitated. “I don’t know what to get.”

After a brief discussion, Luc ordered for her.

“Thanks.”

“If you’d like, we could check out the mall after this.”

She lowered her voice. “I have no money.”

“I do. Torchwood pays me. My parents left me money.” Luc carried their tray to a table.

Eryn sat across from him. “Where are your parents?”

“They died during an attack on Torchwood in Nova Scotia three years ago.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine.” Eryn sighed. “I guess I can. I’m still waiting for the news Basanjo got to my parents.”

“It gets easier.” When he lost his parents, he thought he lost everything. But he learned, and adapted. Working in Cardiff reminded him of when his parents were alive. Different people. Same family atmosphere in a lot of ways.

They ate in silence. Luc wondered what conversation he could start with. “What do you like to do on the weekends?” It sounded lame. 

“Music, if I could. There are music festivals in Cape Town this month.”

“What kind of music?”

“All kinds. Except metal. It’s loud, scary and doesn’t always have words.”

Luc laughed. She wouldn’t like his playlist. “We can check out a music store at the mall.”

“I would like that.”

Eryn was better at figuring out topics than he was. They didn’t have much in common except a love of reading. He would have to take her to the library at some point.

Luc held Eryn’s coat, and she laughed. “You have no manners at work.”

He smiled. “Your company is better.” Talk about lame.

Eryn laughed. “You’re not use to socializing.”

“No.”

She nudged him playfully. “You left your lab for me. I’m honored.”

 

Luc saw the man’s reflection in the side view mirror of his car a moment before the man reached him. He dropped to the ground, momentarily startling the man and slammed his fist full force into his groin. The man went down. 

Another man had grabbed Eryn and was trying to drag her off. She struggled which gave him time. He raced over to her. The men hadn’t drawn knives or possibly brought them which meant they had no idea who he was. Mercenaries, as Eryn described Basanjo’s men in De Waal Park, would have been armed.

“I will hurt her.” The man tried sounding tough. They hadn’t expected a conflict. 

“If you hurt her, I will kill you. I will run you down and beat you to death with my bare hands.”

The man’s uncertainty gave Eryn an opening against the much larger assailant. She slammed her head back into his face. His gripped lessoned and she stomped his foot. He released her.

They ran for his car. The man who intended to attack him was trying to get up. Luc kicked him.

Eryn called Jack as Luc drove from the car park.

“Harkness.”

“Sir.” She had it on speaker phone. 

“Eryn and I were attacked. I took her for coffee.” Luc paused to think of the translated name. “Ridiculous Coffee. They had no idea who I am. The goal appeared to be grabbing Eryn.”

“She shouldn’t have been there.”

“Jack,” Luc said, trying to remember to keep his temper in check. “Basanjo has local connections. These weren’t his men. The one who spoke is from London. Local thugs. Information we didn’t have.”

“Head for the garage adjacent to Torchwood. How bad were the thugs injured? Gwen needs to coordinate with the police.”

“The one I punched is probably still on the car park pavement and will be peeing blood. The other asshole has a serious headache.”

When the call ended, they rode in silence for the short trip. He parked Gwen’s car next to the Torchwood van.

“Luc,” Eryn asked, “Where did you learn to fight?”

“Dad taught me self-defense when I was a kid. I was picked on for liking books and hating hockey.” Luc hesitated, taking the keys out of the ignition. “When I was fourteen, the Nova Scotia office was attacked. My mom died quickly. My dad died of injuries during the siege. Four other adults died.” He pocketed his keys. “I held my hub for eighteen hours. When a group breached, I killed them.” He displayed their bodies on the wall to unnerve others, if they tried entering. “When the Force, uh the cops arrived to sort the situation, I was the only one still alive. The walls had been breached but the hub was secure.”

Eryn reached over and squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry.”

“You asked me why I have no manners at work. The polite don’t survive.”

“No. The weak don’t survive. Manners don’t make you weak.”


	17. Chapter 17

** (drug dealer) House; London, England **

** Thursday, February 13, 2020 **

Gwen Cooper stepped from her car and eyed the neighborhood. Sad looking houses in desperate need of maintenance line the streets. Cracked sidewalks, broken fences, and beware of dog signs. Few cars were parked on the street or in drives. She remembered Rhys’s early complaints about Hughes Flats as she headed toward the house. Their block of flats might be bland, but it wasn’t depressing. The rental house with peeling paint and broken porch was depressing.

“Torchwood.” She held out her credentials.

“Yes, ma’am.” The young woman reminded her of being a constable in Cardiff. 

Gwen entered the house and realized the inside was worse than the outside. Drug dealers weren’t generally known for their housekeeping. This group was no exception. The floor was mostly clear, but the tables were cluttered. A pile of binders and books covered half a sagging sofa.

“DC Garth Brent.” The tall copper had dark brown hair graying at the temples and a tired expression.

“Gwen Cooper, Torchwood.”

“What is your interest in this case?”

“Two men connected to this house attacked a young man affiliated with Torchwood earlier today. He has impressive science knowledge and assisted on the contaminated mushroom case. We’re concerned it’s some type of retaliation.” It sounded good, Gwen thought. If he checked her story, the details were valid.

Brent looked less than convinced. “Witnesses at the coffee shop said both teenagers had accents.”

“Yes. Luc is from Canada. There was a problem with a Torchwood affiliate. He’s been staying with us.”

“The young woman he was with is from Africa?”

“Why?”

“You need to see the basement.”

Gwen wondered if there was evidence connecting the two thugs to Basanjo as DC Brent led through the kitchen and down the back stairs. The basement was an open area with a closed off section on one side, a sleeping area and an impressive computer set-up against the wall. The organization and cleanliness was very different from upstairs. The tightly made bed and footlocker suggested military.

“We found evidence tying this computer network to human-trafficking. The group has connections to organize crime based in South Africa.”

Gwen looked around.

“Interpol reported that Bashiri Oliveira’s son and Chenzira Sylla’s twins are missing. Eryn Sylla matches the description of the young woman at the coffee shop.” 

“You think Luc’s friend is involved in this?”

“No. I think she was the target.”

“How can Torchwood help with this case?”

Brent took a moment. Gwen got the impression he was trying to calm himself. “What does South Africa have to do with the Fairy Forest drugs?”

“Nothing that I know of.”

Brent pulled back a curtain, showing a sizable terrarium. On closer inspection, Gwen recognized the eggs from the farm that left her unconscious for days. 

“Depending on the type of mushroom, that will produce an hallucinogen and/or a potentially fatal drug similar to what killed the seven kids in Cardiff.” She remembered the reptiles made international news. “When the eggs hatch, the basement and possibly the house will be contaminated.” Gwen reached for her mobile.

 

** Torchwood Three **

Luc Sarkisian felt weird heading to the conference room to ask questions. They needed information about a drug that recently appeared in Africa. Interpol didn’t have enough information. The London police investigation into the attack on him and Eryn connected her father to the toxic mushrooms and human-trafficking. It was not a conversation he wanted to have. 

Eryn looked up from the table and smiled as he entered. She wore another bright colored dress. 

“We have a problem.”

The smile faded as she realized he wasn’t there for her. 

Luc hesitated. “I need to ask questions about Africa and your fathers.” He then joined them at the table before explaining what they knew connecting the attack to the house in London. “Are you familiar with a drug called dark mushrooms in French?”

“C hampignons Noirs is a new interrogation and torture drug,” Aman said.

“It is ugly,” Kailen added.

Luc took notes. “What does it do?”

“Anxiety, fear, hallucinations. It’s to get information out of people capable of withstanding other forms of interrogation,” Aman explained.

“Do you know where it comes from?”

“No.”

“How would someone get CN?” Luc asked.

“Erik Obasanjo,” Aman said. “Did he find us?”

“Yes.” Luc wondered if it was a good idea to mention what he had in mind. Everyone would assume it had to do with Eryn. “I have a possible solution.”

“What?”

“I need to go home. My hub in Nova Scotia is a mess. And while it wouldn’t be difficult for Obasanjo to trace me there, it would be harder to catch us unaware. I live at the hub and have impressive surveillance technology. I have connections with local law enforcement and could flag anyone connected to your fathers or Obasanjo.”

“Why would you help us?” Kailen sounded suspicious.

“It’s understaffed. Finding help is difficult. People see a seventeen year-old and have no idea I’ve walked more miles than they have.” Luc paused. “You know computers. Aman,” Luc looked at him, “Has leadership and tactical skills. And Eryn is good with people.”

“Why should we trust you?” Kailen asked.

“I could ask the same question.”

 

** (drug dealer) House; London, England **

Ianto Jones parked the Torchwood van behind Gwen’s car. Luke had prepared for the possibility of finding more contaminated mushrooms. They had a secure incubator for the eggs, and a process for dealing with the mushrooms and soil. A terrarium was thankfully a small hazard. Plans for decontaminating larger production facilities had been Luc’s primary concern.

The awful neighborhood reminded him, as he climbed out of the van, that the building needed work. He could probably talk Anwen into helping him over the weekend. Even if the teenagers were willing, he preferred to avoid them.

Gwen approached with two constables. “Where’s Luc?”

“He’s researching mushrooms.”

“Do we need him for this?” Gwen asked.

“Are the eggs hatching?”

“Eggs?” One of the constables asked.

“Not yet. We need to get scans before we try moving anything.”

“The dragon things?” Both constables were backing up.

No dragons, Ianto thought. Ugly, brown, miniature iguanas with wings. 

Gwen groaned. 

“They won’t be in the way.”

Gwen nodded slightly. “There is that.”


	18. Chapter 18

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness stepped into the doorway of the maintenance office. Ianto took it over in October after John disappeared. He added a desk at the far side of the room and another computer workstation as the original one had customizations none of them understood. 

Ianto had his coat on a rack like the one in his office and his shoulder holster on the desk next to him. When they first met, Ianto knew more about catching dinosaurs than guns. One of the many things he regretted.

“Hey.”

“Scotland Yard has demanded the return of the materials seized from the drug house through a liaison officer. The DC was not authorized to surrender jurisdiction.” 

Jack smiled and walked into the office. “What did you tell them?”

“I asked if they had the necessary facilities to incubate twelve baby dragons.”

Jack laughed. 

“The conversation was strange. When did the police start arguing jurisdiction?”

“They don’t.” Jack crossed the room. 

Ianto opened the desk drawer on his right. “I have fifteen messages. One reporter is asking about dragons and drugs.” He set a stack of small papers on the desk. “Bree isn’t ready for that.”

Jack reached out and set his hand on Ianto’s. “I talked to Luc.” He confirmed what Eryn already told him. “I wasn’t asking for Gwen, I was asking if I killed Gwen.”

Ianto closed his eyes.

“Who are you mad at?”

“I don’t know.” Ianto rubbed the back of his neck.

Jack ran his finger tips over the back of Ianto’s hand. “Date night?”

“I…” Ianto looked up and met his eyes. “Why do you forgive me?”

Jack stepped around the desk, trailing his fingers up Ianto’s arm to where he rolled his sleeve. “We will work this out.”

“I can’t trust my own judgment.”

“Do you have a notepad and a pen?”

“Yep.” He opened a drawer and quickly grabbed one of each.

I love you. I am not leaving you.  Jack wrote it on a notepad, and handed it back. “Gwen is not leaving Rhys. Cory is mad at me more than you are.”

“You have that affect on people.” Ianto smiled.

“Six-and-a-half months. I look. I flirt. I have not been tempted.”

Ianto leaned against him. 

Luc cleared his throat, entering the doorway. “Sorry.” He was looking at the floor and blushing.

Jack laughed, turning towards Luc. “What?”

Ianto sat back.

“I completed an analysis of the mushroom samples.”

“Find anything interesting?”

Luc nodded. “We have more than three types of drugs. The version Marlowe Haskins had is a street drug less dangerous than Ecstasy. It’s produced by cloned dragons; the weak ones that couldn’t fly. The drug that killed the teenagers is similar to a stronger one found at Fairy Forest but was contaminated. I can’t prove it, but I suspect it was grown to be poisonous.” He checked his notes. “The drug from the London house is a completely different type of mushroom but would produce a similar effect as the drug produced by the flight-capable dragons.” He paused. “I need comparison samples. C hampignons Noirs or dark mushrooms is known to Interpol. There isn’t a lot of information available. I spoke to Aman and Kailen and confirmed a connection between the drug and Basanjo. The terrarium mushrooms, rather than the toxic ones, are probably CN. The eggs are not clones. The terrarium soil is possibly from Africa. That’s the best I can manage.”

“Are mushrooms necessary to produce the drug?”

“I don’t know. The eggs appear to incubate in the same conditions mushrooms grow. The eggs produce the hallucinogen that the mushrooms absorb.” Luc hold his palms up and shrugs. “Torchwood research focused primarily on contaminating mushrooms. The files don’t explain why. I would guess the shared conditions made mushrooms ideal to contaminate.”

“I will contact Interpol to see if they have drug samples or detailed analysis.”

“Uh.” Luc was uncertain about something. “I’m going home. The attack at the coffee shop was too close.”

“We will resolve the situation.”

“No. I’m going home. I’m taking Eryn, Kailen and Aman with me.” Luc held up a hand. “Nova Scotia needs people I can work with. They have skills. They won’t care I’m seventeen.” He paused. “My hub has living quarters. I know local law enforcement. It’s safer.”

“Eryn has been through a lot,” Ianto said quietly.

“I know. If I disrespect Eryn, Kailen and Aman will drop my body in a hole somewhere.”

“How are you getting home?” Jack asked.

“Portal devices. I can link them.” Luc paused. “You and Aman are both Alpha males. Whatever relationship you had with the future version didn’t involve living or working together. Sooner or later, he’s going to challenge you and it’s not going to be a fun situation.”

“How would Nova Scotia be different?” Ianto asked.

“I’m not an Alpha male. The conflict would be if I started dating Eryn. Chauvinism rather than dominance. The social dynamics are different.”

“Social dynamics?” Ianto wondered.

“Girl research. I read magazines girls like.” 

Jack laughed.


	19. Chapter 19

** London, England **

Retrieving his computers from the police was an annoyance. Using distortion technology, scanners and various lock-picks, Kol Puzzo waited until after hours and walked into the storage facility holding his machines. Losing the terrarium was more than annoying. At least Torchwood had it. The last thing the area needed was a corrupt police officer getting a hold of CN.

He disabled CCTV to make tracking him more difficult. The drug house had been a solid hiding place. The upstairs dealers were pathetic, but they didn’t ask questions. The idiocy with attacking Eryn Sylla meant he could explain how he lost the terrarium and the police finding out about Obasanjo’s London connection. As the idiots caused the leak and he reclaimed the technology, he shouldn’t have too much trouble with Obasanjo.

The first Aman he knew had explained why he let Obasanjo live, and Puzzo agreed with most of it. Organized crime came in different types. Although odious, the African had some ethics and limits. He treated his men well which meant few authority challenges. He didn’t generally wage war on people’s families. Which made what happened in De Waal even more puzzling. He would have killed Obasanjo without a second thought, if he’d succeeded in harming the kids. Obasanjo’s meditating usually kept the blood shed between factions from getting out of hand, but the downside was he didn’t have the reputation he should. The idiot drug dealers thought they could win big by grabbing Eryn. If they realized failure would have serious consequences, they would have thought it through. Or at least given it some thought.

He would deal with the idiots and tell Obasanjo he was punishing failure. No one would question him. When he got the opportunity, he would take out Obasanjo. The Aman he knew established Idrissa in South America. He would need to explain the situation and transport him to Canada. He doubted future Aman realized his lover would seek revenge for his death. One more mess to resolve.

With a growing list of annoyances, Kol backed the truck into his new location. The derelict commercial area suited his needs. The paperwork said he was a business consultant. Neither the authorities nor Obasanjo’s people should think twice. It worked.

The computer system was partially unpacked when he sensed her. Keara shimmered. The time distortion had gotten worse.

“You shouldn’t be here, mom.” 

“Torchwood was attacked in 2039.”

“Is Anwen all right?”

“Yes.” 

He walked over to her. “You should have stayed with Sarkisian.”

She reached for him. Her hand brushed his face but wasn’t entirely there. 

“What do you need me to do?”

 

** Bree Nelson’s flat; Cardiff, Wales **

Bree Nelson looked up as her flat door opened and smiled as Jodi Hsiung entered. It was good to have some sanity in her life. She’d been sitting on the couch trying to read a book. Her mind kept wandering from the pages to Torchwood.

“Traffic was bad on the M4.”

Bree stood and walked over to help with her coat. “You got your hair cut.”

“Mom hates it. She said if it was any shorter, I’d look like a boy.”

Bree laughed. “If she liked it, you’d be unhappy.”

“She asked me last night what I was doing to find a man.” Jodi rolled her eyes. “She’s got this idea that I’m wasting my life working. She tried another cattle auction. This man, he’s from a nice Chinese family. A doctor.” Jodi smiled. “I already found a doctor. Not that she’d approve.”

Bree hung up the coat. Somehow self-consciousness flared. It was the first time Jodi had seen her new flat. They were dancing around the prospect of moving in together. With her living in Cardiff, it would put some distance between Jodi and her mother. 

“I haven’t had a chance to decorate much.”

Jodi laughed. “It looks like a layout for a decorating magazine.”

“Is that bad?”

“My brother, the slob, tells me I need to clean my flat. I’m in no position to judge.”

“I made dinner.” Bree headed for the kitchen.

“What are you nervous about?”

“I didn’t know if you’d like the place.”

Jodi followed her. “You’ve seen my place, Bree. That cop friend I told you about gave me a ride home when my car broke down. He asked me if I’d been robbed.” She laughed. “My cleaning style is a Facebook joke. ‘There appears to have been a struggle.’”

“I…”

Jodi slid her hands around Bree’s waist. “Stop trying to impress me.”

Bree leaned into the embrace. “I missed you.”

Setting the table felt good. A normal night. It had been more than two weeks. She hated the separation but didn’t want to push. They’d both been through a lot. 

“How’s the new job?”

“Crazy.”

“When you get the chance, ask your boss why he broke into evidence.” Jodi explained what happened. 

“No idea.”

Jodi reached across the table for her hand. “What is with you tonight?”

“I don’t like being separated.”

“Nightmares?” Jodi squeezed her hand. “I looked. There is a comparable job in Cardiff. It’s a matter of wading through the red tape.”

“I don’t want to push.”

“You’re not,” Jodi assured. “Does your boss know about us?”

“Yeah. Captain Harkness doesn’t care. He’s bi and poly.”

Jodi laughed. “A definite improvement over your last boss.”

 

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

** Friday, February 14, 2020 **

Dr. Bree Nelson walked up the stairs to Captain Harkness’s office wondering how to word what she needed to ask. The office door opened as she approached it. He sat behind his desk. The antique furniture went with his taste in clothes. Which didn’t fit with his aptitude for technology. One of the numerous contradictions at Torchwood.

“Problem?” 

“I talked to my friend at Scotland Yard, Captain.”

“Jack, please.”

Bree hesitated. “Jack. Uh.” She hesitated. “My friend asked why we broke into a evidence storage facility last night.”

That amused him. “We didn’t.” 

“A person using impressive technology entered a police facility, passed personnel without witnesses and removed the computer system from the drug house. The one with the terrarium London wants back.”

“Torchwood has jurisdiction over the alien eggs. The return request was unusual and impossible. If we wanted the computer system, we wouldn’t have stolen it. We would have asked for it.” He eyed her briefly. “Do you know when and where the computer was taken?”

Bree handed her notes across the desk. “Why did you hire me?”

“We need a community liaison.”

“Captain, you hire people with the necessary skills. People who understand why you have a pet dinosaur and singing vacuum cleaners.” She sighed. 

“I hire people with potential. Gwen was a constable handling petty crime. Ianto worked basic admin at Torchwood London. Luc will be an incredible scientist when he gets his anger under control.” 

“And John Hart? I haven’t met him yet.”

“John works for future Torchwood. He was called back in October.” 

“You’re… you’re serious.” Bree had no idea what to say to that. 

“Yes.” Jack laughed. “It gets easier.”


	20. Chapter 20

** Blodau Glas Academy; Cardiff, Wales **

** Friday, February 14, 2020 **

“Mrs. Llewyllen.” Anwen approached her teacher’s desk. “I need to go to the nurse.”

“Are you finished with your assignment?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Finish it first.”

Anwen returned to her desk as the pain slowly increased. She had a migraine starting. Best case scenario, she’d vomit on her desk. She tried to focus on her assignment but her vision wavered. Then the buzzing started. It wasn’t a migraine. It was the Rift. 

Anwen stood and could hear Mrs. Llewyllen in the background disapproving. She dropped to her knees, her head back, her eyes focused in the distance. Someone familiar was trapped in the Rift. 

“John.” She reached for him. The Rift wouldn’t fight her, it was something else. “Come home.”

 

** Whitchurch **

Anwen Williams gave up on her wrist-strap. It wasn’t working. Whatever happened to it had no effect on the other items she carried. The device that affected audio-video surveillance came from John’s desk. It was unlikely she’d need to avoid CCTV, but it was otherwise harmless and made her think of John. She couldn’t have the MP3 player at school. 

Future Torchwood, she thought escaping from the hospital. Without her wrist-strap, she would have to focus on him. She’d been connected to him since she pulled him from the Rift. She was afraid if she let go, she wouldn’t find him. The only reason she could think her wrist-strap malfunctioned was John’s had too. She tried telling herself he’d fix the set from his end, if his worked. 

She headed through the hospital’s car parks toward Forest Farm and the Taff. What really made her wonder was how she knew where she was and where she was going. She was familiar with the area but didn’t know it that well. Which suggested the part of her wrist-strap that occasionally provided insight was still working. She’s asked Uncle Jack about it, but he had no idea what she meant.

The hospital buildings ended with a few trees and opened into a clearing. Trees separated an unnamed road. From there, more trees and someone’s backyard. When she saw a Forest Farm Rd. sign, she followed it toward a bridge. It again bothered her that she knew where she was going. The familiarity made her wonder if she’d intentionally planned the hospital trip and walk without realizing it. Or more disturbing was the possibility of something self-aware about her wrist-strap.

Finding John proved easier than expected, adding to her concerns. He was sitting with his back to a tree. She’d seen Uncle Jack briefly while he was under the dragon-drug’s influence. John had the same look. 

“Darling.” He sounded off. “You need to stay away from me.”

“I promise not be jealous of the pretty aliens.”

John laughed. “How did you find me?”

“I don’t know. It’s like a part of my wrist-strap is conscious.” She chose a place to sit that gave her enough room to maneuver, if he came after her. She wasn’t even sure where that thought came from.

“I hope not.”

“Why?”

“Anwen could track me like that. The Anwen I…”

The version of herself he proposed to and who sent him back in time to self-destruct unable to cope without her. “Same skill set.”

 

** Whitchurch Hospital **

Gwen Cooper hurried to the counter with her identification in her hand. The call came while they were discussing possible options at the hub. Jack insisted on driving which she appreciated. 

“My daughter Anwen Williams was brought in by ambulance from Blodau Glas Academy.”

Gwen heard footsteps and turned to look. Andy Davidson approached with his hat in his hands, looking uneasy.

“What happened?”

“Anwen’s missing. She regained consciousness in the ambulance and asked to be taken to Torchwood. The school didn’t tell the paramedics you work for Torchwood.” He hesitated. “Someone disabled the security cameras in a route leading from the A&E to a car park. There is fuzzy security footage of a child, possibly Anwen, heading away from the car park alone. Toward Forest Farm.”

Jack walked up behind her and set a hand on her shoulder. “Have you spoken to anyone who witnessed her pass-out?”

Andy removed a notebook from his pocket. “According to the paramedics, the teacher told them Anwen said ‘John, come home.’ The teacher assumed she was talking about John Wayne. She did a report of some kind on cowboy movies.”

Jack guided her into a small waiting area and Andy followed. He flipped open his wrist-strap. “Anwen Williams.”

After a moment, “Remote medical scan, Anwen.”

“What does that mean, Jack?” Gwen asked when it didn’t work. She’d seen both Anwen and John scan their surroundings and each other from a distance.

“John Hart.”

After a brief pause, “Jack?”

“Is Anwen with you?”

“No. Why would she be with me?” He sounded high.

“Do you know where you are?”

“Under a tree. It’s a pretty tree.”

“Do a remote medscan on Anwen.”

“That would piss her off.”

“John, its 2020. Anwen is ten. She’s missing.”

“No, no. She’s at Torchwood London with Ianto.”

“John, its 2020. Torchwood London doesn’t exist yet. Ianto is in Cardiff, not London.”

He could be heard fumbling with his wrist-strap. “It’s not working.”

“Do you know where you are?”

“No.”

“What are you on?”

“I don’t know.”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” 

“I was in Cameroon. I had a meeting scheduled with Aman in Nigeria.” He groaned. “I was ambushed. Dael, Dael set me up.”

“Do you know what country you’re in?”

John hesitated. “Wales. Forest Farm Nature Reserve. Did Anwen bring me here?”

“Probably. Landmark?”

“Near the bridge across the river from the tracks.” John groaned. “I’m on a hallucinogen. Rainbows and bad movie monsters.” He paused. “That one’s cute.”

“What did you take?”

“Nothing willingly. I’ve been clean for six-and-a-half years. I go home stoned and Anwen’s kicking my arse.”

“Stay where you are. If you see Anwen, you need to contact me.”

“I’m going to write down Torchwood situation,” Andy said.

Jack strode from the waiting room and Gwen walked fast to keep up.

 

** Near Forest Farm **

Jack Harkness parked the Torchwood van up the road from where he suspected John was between Forest Farm Road and the River Taff. He’d seen John high before. It could be good or bad. What concerned him was the type of drug. It was bad enough for him to get trapped in the Rift.

“I will find John.” 

“Jack…”

“He’s hallucinating and probably armed.” 

Gwen wanted to object. But what Jack wasn’t saying was John couldn’t kill him, if he tried. She didn’t want to think about that. Her daughter was probably in the area. She had no idea how Anwen got there for the hospital. But she knew her daughter. John was in trouble; Anwen would find a way to get to him. If John was hallucinating, he wouldn’t recognize her. 

Jack headed across the street and into the trees, cautious of his surroundings. He didn’t hear anything. That worried him. 

“Its Uncle Jack,” Anwen said. “John’s with it for the moment.”

Jack followed her voice. 

“The Nanogenes didn’t work,” Anwen explained. “It’s the mushroom drug. A different version then the one that had you flirting with the furniture.”

John laughed. “Should have sold tickets.”

“It affected his time signature.” 

“The mushroom-drug has Rift energy. It’s why you sensed the people in the mall.”

“It’s more than that. It disrupted his attempt to use a portal device.” Anwen looked worried. “I pulled him out of the Rift. Both of our wrist-straps are damaged. I have a chronon signature comparable to John’s.”

“Are you sure?” Jack scanned them. He wasn’t sure what worried him more. That she could sense the change or that she was right.

“Yeah.”

“CN. It had a fancy name I can’t pronounce.” John looked at him. “How do you know about it?”

“We’ve have seven dead kids, seven more in a rehab facility with permanent damage, and Gwen and I walked into exposed grass at a production facility.”

“John,” Anwen said as his body language shifted. He reached for a gun. Jack tackled him. “John. Focus on my voice. What you’re seeing isn’t real.”

He struggled against Jack.

“Peace, John. I give you peace.”

John stopped struggling long enough for Jack to restrain him.

Anwen approached hesitantly before hugging him. “Welcome home.”

 

** Torchwood Three **

Anwen Williams settled onto a cot in the infirmary. It wasn’t her first visit. Uncle Jack connected her to a monitor to make sure the energy affecting her didn’t manifest drug symptoms. The only change was her connection to the Rift. It felt different.

“Is that a good idea, Jack?” Her mom asked, following her uncle from the infirmary.

She wasn’t sure what her mum expected to happen. Jack restrained John. When the sedative wore off, he’d be unable to move whether he was lucid or not. It occurred to her, as she thought about it, that he mother was worried she’d release him when he regained consciousness. Even if she had a silly idea that he wouldn’t hurt her when drugged out of his mind, she’d seen Uncle Jack when he was drugged. John’s hallucinations were darker and more dangerous.

“What happened?”

“You gave Uncle Jack an excuse to knock you out.”

John moved, trying to free his arm. 

“Jack flirted with imaginary aliens.” Anwen felt guilty. “You’re seeing monsters. Your reaction is to fight the imaginary monsters.” Anwen set her tablet aside and hopped off the cot. “It goes away. Jack was high for a couple days. Mum was unconscious.”

“I need to go back to London.”

Anwen set her hand on his. “Did future Torchwood abduct you from the island?”

“Yeah.”

“Did things work out?”

John closed his eyes. “It’s complicated.”

“I’m sorry.” 


	21. Chapter 21

**Section: Puff the Magic Dragon**

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Luc Sarkisian eyed his neglected lab and mentally started a list of tasks. Re-establishing security and testing the system had been their first priority. The maintenance bots repaired the structural damage. The computers and scientific equipment would have to be reviewed, tested and repaired by hand or replaced. The irony hadn’t escape him. Aman from the future was responsible for the damage. The Aman from the present was helping him re-establish. 

“Luc.” Eryn sounded uncertain. She was having a problem with the move, but wouldn’t tell him what it was.

“Hey.” Luc said. “What’s wrong?”

“I need to go to the store. Groceries, personal stuff.”

He hadn’t thought of that. “Make your list. I need to check in with Jack. Then we can shop.”

Eryn looked uncomfortable. It was a lot more than having to ask a guy for personal stuff.

“Show mercy on the clueless guy. What is it?”

“Money.” She was looking at her shoes.

“Nova Scotia has accounts. The same as Cardiff. Purchases will be general expenses until the system is able to handle payroll.” That was obviously not the problem. “Is this about your salary?”

“What?” Eryn looked at him.

“The PR job I mentioned. You will get paid for it.”

“I didn’t realize.”

Luc felt an idiot. He hadn’t asked the right questions. “Are there any women in your father’s organization?”

She look down and shook her head slightly.

“Torchwood has employed women in non-secretarial positions since Victorian times when it started. My mother and her mother were scientists.” Luc stepped forward and reached for her slowly. He tipped her chin up. “Are you afraid to ask about money? Or that it has strings?” 

“Yes.”

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Luc assured. “When I asked you to coffee, I meant coffee. The same with the mall.” Luc hadn’t considered the possibility he needed to explain it. “You don’t owe me anything.”

 

Luc needed to get the payroll up and running. He never wanted to shop with a nervous female ever again. She expected everything to embarrass him, and had to be encouraged to shop. He felt guilty, and wished more than anything his mother was still alive. Ruthie Sarkisian would have known what to say and do and everything.

Kailen motioned him over after Eryn disappeared into her room. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Part of the computer system was disabled three years ago.”

“Yeah. The section was bad. I took it off-line.” The biomechs weren’t as determined to cause damage as the easier attackers.

“I used one of the miniature bots we brought from Cardiff.” He hesitated. “The section has information of your mother’s.”

“Say it.”

“Your mother knew about CN. Her parents developed it.”

“No. CN is new. My grandparents died more than twenty years ago.”

Kailen shook his head. “No. Ronald Beaupre is still alive. He’s an interrogator.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“We have a lot to review. We can’t reconnect the newly repaired section to the main computer. There is a program from your mother’s files that would either delete or conceal information. I don’t know what the program’s criteria is yet.”

“No.”

“What did your mother do for Torchwood?”

“Exobiology.”

“Why would Torchwood need a biologist? They killed aliens. They didn’t study them.”

“Why would a Canadian biology student be sent to the Caribbean to examine reptiles for the London Institute?” Luc closed his eyes.  Mom .

 

** New Torchwood Institute; London, England, 2039 **

The bunker was rarely used. Having survived more than a few attacks on Torchwood, and knowing the original London Institute was destroyed, she had reason to be paranoid. It also offered the option for meetings with multiple people in different locations.

“I have the com networked. Video doesn’t network so well. Jack is back in Cardiff, Aman and Miriam in Nigeria, Luc in Nova Scotia, Keara and General Williams in Dublin, Trefor and Ianto are here with me,” Anwen said. “Does anyone know what’s going on?”

“One of the original corporations that conspired with Moss-Probert,” General Williams said, “Is trying to distract us. Gordon-Glenn was a custom genetics company in my time. They focused on improving the human race. Their ideas were out there. They previously attempted to recreate the genetic anomaly that allows certain people access or control of the Rift. They found creatures similar to the reptiles that are used to create CN and infused humans.”

“No one is messing with the Rift.”

“Dael had connections with an old organized crime network in Africa,” Aman said. “I have no idea what Hart told that woman about himself, but he was abducted with the intention of extracting information. He used a portal device to escape.”

Keara continued. “The drug reacted badly to the portal device and the Rift. He’s in 2020.”

“With John missing, London in pieces, and Jack in China, an attempt was made to remotely access Torchwood Three. Presumably for the Rift device.” Luc sounded tired. “Kailen was holding the fort and doing repairs. He traced it back to a facility in Scotland. I sent Puzzo.”

“The explosion was equivalent to a shallow earthquake,” Ianto commented. “The company is being accused of undisclosed, dangerous research. Arrests have been made in the destruction of a commercial district.”

“Did any of the scientists survive?” Miriam asked.

“No,” Luc said.

“General,” Anwen said, “We need to check the status of other previous offenders. Dublin will coordinate, if he needs help.”

“I need details on Gordon-Glenn’s genetic research. We have had a few people with genetic connections to the Rift,” Jack said. 


	22. Chapter 22

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

** Friday, February 15, 2020 **

Jack Harkness entered Ianto’s office. Seeing John and Ianto in the same room made him uneasy. Anwen sat at John’s desk while he worked on something at the work table. It was odd thinking his niece would keep the peace.

“Eye candy’s fine.” 

“You found something?” Jack asked Ianto.

“Ronald Beaupre and Derrin Talbot. I found photographs from the 1990s and used age progression software.”

“And?”

“Interpol has a file on Beaupre with a photograph from five years ago. Three aliases and more suspected. Known associates include Erik Basanjo. They believe he’s behind the bounty that resulted in the failed hit in De Waal Park.”

“Where are the portal devices?” Jack said.

“The secondary armory.” John said. “Why?”

“Beaupre is Luc’s grandfather.” 

“Okay,” John said.

“Luc is in Nova Scotia with the three people his grandfather tried to kill,” Anwen said. 

“Jack, when were you exposed to the drug?”

“Two weeks ago.”

“To soon, Jack,” John said. “What do you know about Aman?”

“Which one?”

“Either.”

“He was driven by survivor’s guilt and wanted to save the world.”

“Aman Oliveira believed beyond anything that his father was a monster. If he believed in sins of the father, he would hate himself.”

“You don’t think he’ll kill Luc?” Anwen said.

“No. Just the opposite.”

 

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Luc Sarkisian had a headache. The information about his mother and grandparents made him realize his heritage was a lot worse than he thought. Previously, he assumed having a wife-beater for a grandfather that probably killed his grandmother was the worse possibility. Ronald Beaupre made Grandpa Sarkisian look like a saint.

“Thank you. You don’t have to wait on me.”

“It’s something I can do.” Eryn sat down next to him. “What’s wrong?”

“When I was seven or eight, this boy set me off. Something stupid. I beat the hell out of him.” Luc sipped his coffee. “When I told you I learned to fight because I was picked on, that was only half of it.” Luc paused. “Dad gave me my first punching bag at eight. He had to sit down and explain that violence ran in the family. Violence and anger.” Luc set the mug down. “I’ve known since I was eight years old that my father’s father was an abusive…” Luc shook his head.

“What changed?”

Luc motioned at the screen. “Sarkisian had nothing on Beaupre. I’ve heard about Americans, and the CIA. They have black sites and torture suspects. But not Canadians. We don’t do that. That evil is an American thing.”

“You didn’t ask about my father.”

“No. Did Basanjo…”

“I have no idea.” Eryn sighed. “Chenzira Sylla, my father, is an enforcer for Bashiri Oliveira. South Africans are not known for their manners. Africa has warlords and child soldiers and pirates. A lot of good people. But a lot of bad people.” She set her hand over his. “My grandfather wasn’t a good person either. But my aunt is a nun. She’s lived in places where the nuns accepted armed security. Why? God works in mysterious ways.”

The computer chimed. An information request he put through the RCMP came back. 

“What is it?”

“Crap.” Luc stood and looked around his lab.

“Luc?”

“You need to get out of here.”

“What happened? Luc, you’re scaring me.”

Luc nudged Eryn to the door. “Ronald Beaupre, my grandfather, has a bounty on Aman’s head. He’s behind the attack in South Africa.”

“What?”

“Computer, secure lab.” He than ordered a lock-down and secured the various armories. 

 

Eryn Sylla stared at the door. She had no idea what to do. From what she’d seen, and what he said, she couldn’t imagine why he’d be afraid of Aman. It was his facility and he was armed.

“What’s he doing, Er?” Aman asked several minutes later. “We’re in complete lock-down.”

“He’s afraid.”

“Of what?” Kailen asked.

“Aman.”

“What?” Aman looked puzzled.

Eryn explained what she knew about Ronald Beaupre. 

“There is more,” Kailen said. “He tried to lock the computer files on the most recent raid. I thought it was more files his mother’s programs were affecting.” He hesitated. “According to the records, Torchwood Nigeria attacked the facility with bioengineered soldiers.”

Aman looked at Kailen. “How is that possible?”

“I remotely accessed Torchwood Three through Luc’s lab. Multiple people from a future that was destroyed came back in time.” Kailen shoock his head. “Reportedly, an older version of you was trying to create an army and take over the Torchwood network. The motivation is weird. That Aman died during the Torchwood situation in Southeast Asia. He sacrificed himself.”

“This is insane. He is not responsible for his grandfather’s actions.” Eryn knew she had to focus on the parts she could understand. “When we were kids, dad had shovels, garbage bags and zip ties in the boot, basement and the garage. Does that make me a serial killer?”

Aman set a hand on her and Kailen’s shoulders. “How do we access communications? I need to talk to Jack. Eryn, you need to get through to Luc.”

 

“What didn’t you tell her?” Aman asked.

“Luc has a Torchwood London file. Its a location that doesn’t exist yet. He’s listed as being a major scientist associated with a space fleet.”

“Okay.”

“The public profile notes he’s married. But not to who.”

“And?”

“I looked it up. He married Eryn. There is a bunch of medical information about complications from nearly dying at De Waal.”

“Don’t tell them that. Jack needs to lock that information.”

“Yeah.”

“What else?”

“Eryn’s file.” Kailen hesitated. “I died in De Waal Park.”

Aman took his hand. “Zhao got us out.” 

What kind of man would he become if he’d watched Kailen die and almost lost Eryn because someone wanted him dead?

 

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness received the call in the conference room. “Is everything all right?”

“Luc is scared,” Aman explained. “He locked himself in his primary lab and the entire base is under lock-down.”

“Do you know why?”

“His grandfather is a,” Aman swore in Zulu. “The same as my father and grandfather and Kailen’s.”

“I will talk to him.”

“Eryn’s talking to him.” Aman repeated what he learned about Beaupre. “You need to lock the Torchwood London files. Kailen found his sister’s profile saying he died.”

Jack didn’t know what to say to that.

“Torchwood Nigeria attacked Nova Scotia. You didn’t think I should have known that before we left Wales?” The younger version sounded so much different from the older version he met. 


	23. Chapter 23

** Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales **

Gwen Cooper reviewed the Malcolm Dove case in Jack’s office; he’d taken over the conference room. She didn’t know what the situation was with Aman in Nova Scotia. From what General Williams said, Jack and Aman were involved for twenty years in the future. One of the numerous bizarre situations she’d heard or seen since meeting Jack.

Her mobile rang. “Cooper.”

“Gwen,” Andy Davidson greeted, “I have a Torchwood case at Whitchurch A&E.”

“What happened?”

“999 got a call. A man walking his dog through a vacant lot found a girl. The doctor says she has injuries consistent with stumbling around the woods high. She’s seeing blue aliens, and talking about dragon eggs and magic mushrooms.”

“Same drug as the dead kids?” Gwen stood and reached for her coat.

“I don’t know. The doctor said she will live.”

Gwen left the office. “Tell me you’re at the hospital with her.”

“Yeah,” Andy assured. “I told dispatch its related to Dove and definitely Torchwood.”

“How old is she?” Gwen paused at the top of the stairs.

“I don’t know. She told me she was ageless and could sense the universe.”

That could be Rift energy, Gwen thought, “Have you ID’d her?”

“No.”

“How bad is her face? Facial rec?”

“Not good.”

“Have a female nurse photograph her like a domestic. Unless it’s certain, assume she’s under age. Have fingerprints, facial pics and blood for DNA ready when I get there.”

“I know the job, Gwen.”

“I know. Hold on.” Gwen motioned to Bree on the main floor. “Get your coat. Female witness, possible minor at A&E.”

Bree nodded.

“Meet me at the van.” Gwen headed down the stairs.

“I will have a psychiatrist with me. Please inform the ER doctors that Torchwood is only interested in preventing more deaths and will not be seeking prosecution.”

“How long have you known me?”

That made her smile. “I could ask the same thing. Thanks for keeping an eye on her.”

She tapped her ear com after ending the call. “Ianto, are you there?”

After a moment, he said, “Yep.”

Gwen headed for the big door and the elevator. “We have a possible Dove-drug witness. We’re getting a facial photo that may need a digital reconstruction do to facial injuries. Fingerprints and DNA. Do you know how any of Luc’s equipment works?”

“No. I can handle facial rec and fingerprints,” Ianto said. “John is asking what you need.”

“Do you have another ear com?”

John joined the conversation. “What happened?”

Gwen repeated. “Is Anwen listening?”

“No.”

“I don’t have specifics. Drugged and beaten, it may be a rape case. I don’t know how complicated it’s going to get.”

“Do you need back-up? Jack is handling an ugly problem in Nova Scotia.”

Gwen didn’t like that idea. “I might. Bree is going to question the girl, if possible.”

John paused. “Do not risk exposure to the drug, chronons or Rift energy.” John sounded like he was repeating something. 

She smiled. “Tell Anwen I know my job.”

“No.”

Gwen laughed. 

“What’s funny?” Bree asked.

 

** Whitchurch Hospital **

Gwen Cooper showed her ID to enter the A&E. The Friday rush hadn’t started yet, which made life easier. A nurse led them through the back. Andy stood outside an examine room holding his hat, reminding her of the day Anwen was brought into the hospital. 

“Thank you.” Gwen then waited until the nurse left. “Dr. Bree Nelson, this is Andy Davidson. We worked patrol together before Torchwood.”

“Now you remember.” He was still annoyed with her.

“Nice to meet you.” Bree extended her hand.

Gwen waited. “Has anything changed?”

“Yeah. We have another victim. Eighteen year-old male. Rodger Taafe. Same school as the Dove case.”

“Shit. Is he making more sense?”

“No.”

“Was he found in the same area?”

“Roughly.”

“Do you have the locations?”

Gwen tapped her ear com. “John, you there.”

“Yeah.”

“We have two victims from the same area. I need an assessment. Do you know how the drug is cultivated?”

“Yeah.”

“They may have escaped a central location. Both are seeing pretty trees and imaginary aliens right now.”

“How close would we need to scan for the drug energy?” Ianto asked.

“Very.” John sounded like he was listening to someone. Which meant Anwen. “Depending on the area, we can use the Roombas.” He laughed. “Reprogramming won’t take long.”

“Good.”

Gwen passed the curtain. The girl did look young even with a very bruised face. Facial rec should be simple. Once they knew who she was, they could do victimology and compare her to the Dove case and Fairy Farm.

Bree walked around her. “Why is she restrained?”

“The reaction varies by person and version of the drug. Jack flirted with imaginary aliens. John tried to shoot them.”

Bree nodded, and pulled a chair over to the side of the bed. “I’ll ask questions when she comes around, but I won’t push.”

“You’ve worked with law enforcement?”

“Somewhat. I worked with survivors of wars and armed conflict. Investigators want answers. They don’t always understand that the victims are people not pieces of a puzzle.”

Gwen smiled, reminded of the days she gave Jack similar arguments. They needed someone who hadn’t been in Torchwood so long as to forget about people. “Stay with her. I need to check the area where she was found.”

“Be careful.”

Andy motioned her over as stepped out of the room. “Gwen.” He hesitated. “Dispatch is requesting Torchwood. They found the location.”

“What happened?”

“The dragons on the news are newly hatched?”

“Yeah.”

“Constables are reporting a dragon the size of a small car.”

Gwen tapped her ear com. “Ianto, access police reports. We either have a very large dragon or an emergency situation involving overdosed constables.”

“If someone is breeding captive reptiles,” John said, “An adult will show up.”

“John, get Jack. You need to meet me there,” she said. “Ianto, we need everything on that area.”

“Do not approach the adult. She’s dangerous and toxic.”


	24. Chapter 24

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Luc Sarkisian connected his system to his lab in Cardiff. Using the information Interpol and Torchwood had on his grandfather, and downloaded RCMP information on fugitive tracking, he created a profile. Jack connected Beaupre to the death of Jorel Baughn. If killing him was in response to discovering mushrooms planted on government land, a bullet to the head would have sufficed. Baughn wasn’t security conscious; an accident could have been easily arranged. Which meant Beaupre needed Baughn for something. Nothing in Baughn’s employment or background information offered an explanation. Baughn’s injuries suggested torture, from what he’d seen, there was no way he withstood three months of interrogation. He did a search for injury causes. There weren’t a lot of options. 

It reminded him of the CN research. The files had gaps. No details on why they settled for mushrooms or why Torchwood opted to develop the drug. Baughn tested positive for CN. Everything he knew about the full-strength version said that Baughn should have died from the side-effects in under three months. Either the goal was to create an immunity or he already had one. He couldn’t think of any reason to create an immunity through exposure. The process would cause permanent, irreparable damage. 

Luc sat back trying to think. The drug was caused by a chemical excreted by reptiles capable of traveling through the Rift. It had to do with energy rather than a biochemical reaction. A standard immunity had to do with genetics. An immunity to CN would require countering the affects of the energy. Dove had Rift energy unrelated to CN. The only other person he’d seen with Rift energy not related to the drug was Anwen. He didn’t have enough information for a solid hypothesis. He could only guess that like Dove, Baughn had a connection to the Rift.

Which left him a number of questions. What could Ronald Beaupre hope to accomplish experimenting on Baughn? Immunity would be pointless. Did it have something to do with the Rift connection? Anwen had an impressive ability. If the theory that it was a type of human adaption to exposure was accurate, then it stood to reason there were other people born in Cardiff with innate connections to the Rift. Adaption was evolution through mutation. He knew that much having a biologist for a mother. Mutations would vary. Good mutations entered the population. Bad mutations died out.

Controlling the Rift opening and closing was unlikely to be the only option available. If a person could innately understand the time and space properties, they could arguable navigate the Rift. Any place the Rift had ever removed someone from or taken someone to would be reachable. Although odd-defying at the astronomical level, a person could in theory reach through the Rift for specific reasons. Items, technology and even aliens could be intentionally brought through.

Luc knew that would give him a headache. If his grandfather could find a person with the ability, or somehow cause the ability, controlling the person would be very difficult. Anwen’s ability was not that impressive comparably and she was a nearly impossible target at ten years old.

“Shit.” Long-term interrogation involved breaking a person. Once they were malleable, they would provide information and do as they were told. From what Aman said about CN, it would be an impressive tool for someone sick enough to use it. Beaupre tested CN techniques against Baughn’s natural immunity.

He already knew his grandfather was a sick bastard. The question was how could he use the information to find him. CN required a specific, artificial environment. The soil in the terrarium was possibly from Africa. Basanjo had access to the drug in South Africa, and would be a necessary contact for acquiring victims. It was a stretch, but a facility with environmental controls similar to Fairy Farm and shipping arrangements with Africa, South Africa specifically, shouldn’t be too difficult to find.

The com chimed. Luc tapped the control. 

“Luc, please let me in. Aman is not going to hurt you. Him and Kailen have been remotely reviewing your research through Cardiff. They have more experience with bad people than you do. Our fathers expected them to join the family business. With your science, Kailen’s computer and Aman’s understanding of the family business, you will be able to find Beaupre.” She paused. “What will you do when you find him? He’s a rabid animal, Luc, that can’t be cured. There is only one way to deal with that. You’ve killed in self-defense. Hunting a man and killing him is very different.” She was near tears. “You’re afraid of Aman because you know what he’s capable of. He doesn’t want to harm you. He wants to harm Beaupre. He can live with it.”

 

** Cattrel Industries; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness drove Gwen’s car and parked behind the Torchwood van. Working with John was an odd experience. The only one who trusted him was Anwen. 

“Police update.” Ianto’s voice came over his ear com. “Two constables, a paramedic and a firefighter had been exposed to CN near Cattrel. None of the civilians or police who found or transported them are showing symptoms.”

“The adult dragon,” John said.

Jack asked, “Any reason other than captive dragons?”

“None that I know of.”

“Then we release the dragons,” Jack concluded.

“This is my last op for awhile. I told Anwen before I went to Africa. The other Anwen. The current one won’t understand.”

“If you relapse…” Jack had been surprised John held on as long as he did. When the relationship changed, Anwen’s hold on his lessened. 

“I know.”

Jack climbed out of the car as Gwen walked toward them. He suddenly wished she was somewhere else. A large, alien reptile and a drug they didn’t completely understand. From what they knew of Beaupre, he suspected a splinter Torchwood group was involved. A lot of bad possibilities. 

“That facility was prepared.” Gwen held out a tablet. “Is there any chance this creature is sentient?”

“Why?”

“Review the CCTV footage. The creature took out the facility’s security but didn’t harm emergency response workers.” Gwen hesitated. “It’s using advanced tactics and targeting weapons.”

John scanned the area. “Damn. Torchwood tech.”

Jack checked the scan readings. “It’s Torchwood London tech.”

“Anwen can take remote control the facility?” Gwen asked. The idea amused her.

“Possibly.”

“We need access to a terminal.” John checked his scan readings. “I see three options. One has a chance.”

“Show me.”

“Gwen, coordinate with Ianto,” Jack said. “If this doesn’t work, we need more options.”

“You’re leaving me in the car?”

He didn’t want her anywhere near the creature. “One of us has to stay.”


	25. Chapter 25

** Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada **

Eryn Sylla could feel the tension in the room. She stood in front of Luc and held her hands out in front of her. The entire conflict was a misunderstanding. “No one in this room has done anything to anyone else. Okay. His grandfathers and our fathers are bad people. That’s not us.”

“We know, Er.” Aman approached with his hands in front of him. “We have an opportunity. Torchwood Three is taking down a CN producer. Beaupre has to know Jack is looking for him.”

“How is that an opportunity?” Luc asked.

“He won’t expect us.”

Luc shook his head. “He has to be paranoid.”

“Even if he has information on me and you, there is nothing in Torchwood London about Kailen. We will locate him with CCTV facial recognition. We have the Interpol picture,” Aman explained.

“How does that result in him dead?”

“We ambush him with a containment box similar to the ballistic shield.”

Luc hesitated. “You know about Southeast Asia?”

“We capture him and bring him back. There is something in this facility worth killing his own daughter for.”

“What?”

Eryn reached back and took Luc’s hands. 

“Your mother’s custom computer programs were remotely activated,” Kailen said. “With your mother and father in the facility, it makes your grandfather the primary suspect. There was no security breach. The invaders used Torchwood technology. It’s in the system.”

Luc closed his eyes and lowered his head. “I couldn’t fix the entire system.” He hesitated. “Mom was the first one to die.”

Aman paused. “We will bring him back and he can answer for it.”

“He won’t tell us anything.”

“Luc,” Eryn said carefully, “When you asked about CN, you didn’t ask the right questions. Aman knows what it does because he knows how to use it.”

 

** Cattrel Industries; Cardiff, Wales **

Jack Harkness reviewed the building layout again. The only idea he had was to drive the van through the fence. Nothing indicated it was electrified. Entering the building was another complication. The weakest point appeared to be a delivery entrance.

“Anwen used a device to deactivate CCTV. Do you have one?”

“Yeah.” John removed a small device from his pocket. “I kept it in the desk.” 

“Can you hook it up to one of the mini maintenance bots?”

John looked at him. “What are you thinking?”

“Disable the CCTV near a different terminal. Crash through the fence. Brute force on the nearest door.”

John smiled. “We could use the maintenance bots to infect the audio/visual components of the security system.” 

“With what?”

“Anwen was bored. She designed a program that would play music and cartoons on computer screens.”

“You taught her how to reprogram hub security?”

“No.” John was amused.

“To do what specifically.”

“It plays  Puff the Magic Dragon and shows pictures of Disney dragons on all the screen.” He paused. “I would have to modify it to infect the system.” 

Jack shook his head. 

John chuckled. “I think she intended it for Luc’s lab.”

 

Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada

Kailen Sylla remotely accessed Torchwood Three. It gave him access to Cardiff CCTV footage. He accessed cameras around facilities that met the requirements for CN. He used the Interpol photograph with various age progression options and connected facial rec to streaming live footage. While it was possible Beaupre would keep his head down, it was more likely he would run while Captain Harkness was distracted.

“Set.” Kailen turned around. “Ianto will notice at some point. I don’t think he has the authority to shut it down.”

“Anwen does,” Luc stood across the room next to Eryn. “She understands the system better than Ianto and has command authority.”

“Why?” Aman asked.

Luc shook his head. “It has something to do with the future making changes.”

Facial recognition worked faster than expected. The computer announced a match. Video appeared on the screen with time lag. Beaupre was headed for a car.

“Zane Enlow Botanical Gardens.”

“There is a freighter in Port of London with registry in Cameroon.” Luc saw it when he was checking for connections between companies that could produce CN and Africa. “It has business with Cattrel Industries.”

“I will track his movements, Aman.” Kailen hesitated. “There are other ways to do this.”

“No. When he’s under control, you will be safe.”

Kailen stood abruptly and kissed him. 

“I can do this. I am Bashiri Oliveira’s son.” Aman kissed Kailen’s forehead.

Kailen stared as Aman turned and left. “He’s going to kill him.”

“Would you rather he tortured him to death?” Eryn asked quietly after the door shut.

 

Cattrel Industries; Cardiff, Wales

Jack Harkness couldn’t help but wonder what type of relationship John had with Anwen in the future. He spoke some about his original relationship but nothing about the new time line. He’d come back twice that he knew of to give Anwen presents. John was calmer this time around, but something had changed. The fact that he intended to leave said a lot. Maintaining a relationship in one time period was complicated enough. Dealing with two version of the same person sounded insane. Not to mention the baggage of his original relationship.

“Done.”

Jack started the Torchwood van. He was torn between keeping Gwen with him and protecting her from the car-sized alien reptile. He trusted her. Relying on John was something he preferred to avoid. Between what happened with Anwen and John returning drugged and the fact that John’s loyalties were changing, it made him uneasy. They’d worked together in October. Jack couldn’t help but wonder.

“What are you expecting me to do?” John asked quietly.

“I don’t know.”

John tapped his ear com off. 

Jack hesitated a moment before doing the same. He would have to turn it back on before they reached the fence.

“Is it because I’m leaving?” John asked. “The new future Anwen is different. She’s not broken. Not like me. It’s not as bad as the Anwen you know. She thinks I’m some romantic cowboy version of James Bond.” John exhaled. “My Anwen was broken, consumed by the job and brutal.” He shook his head. “The new one told me I saved her from that.”

Jack could understand the conflict. Gwen was with Rhys because he pushed her to keep the relationship. Regretting made him feel guilty.

John tapped his ear com back on. “We will hit the fence in a couple minutes.”

It shouldn’t surprise him that John could read him. They were trapped in a time loop for five years. They’d been lovers and close friends. While so much time had passed between then and now for him, he was still the same in a lot of ways. Jack tapped his com. “Do we have a back-up plan, if this doesn’t work?”

“Gwen suggested an air strike. If we give the adult access to the facility, it would solve the problem. If we understand its motivation.”

That would be ugly. “Is it possible?”

“Yeah.” She wasn’t happy. “I made calls. From my car!”

“If this goes wrong, we need you there to coordinate.”

“I am not your secretary, Jack Harkness!”

John was trying hard not to laugh. “That’s eye candy’s job. He would look better in a skirt.”

Gwen was swearing at them when the van hit the fence. Jack parked it next to the building. John was out the door before the engine was off. Jack grabbed the big gun he’d already assembled. John prepared the bots. 

“Security is responding,” Ianto commented.

Jack used the van for cover and blew the door and part of the wall inward. He swapped it out for a smaller weapon and ran for the building. John released two bots and carried the third. Security was already entering the hallway. Jack laid down cover fire while John used the remaining bot to contaminate the security system.

“The adult dragon just lobbed a dumpster at the other side of the building with its tail.”

Puff the Magic Dragon poured from the intercom system. The security guards were briefly confused by the music. They retreated into the building. 

“How close do you need to get?”

“As close as possible.”

Jack entered first, shooting a security guard that fired at him. They had to retreat into a doorway once.

“Is Anwen ready for remote access?” John asked.

“Yeah. She’s asking what you want her to do?”

“Deactivate emergency protocols and then the weapons,” Jack said. 

John flipped open his wrist-strap. “Connected.”

“Computer, command authorization Anwen Williams. Override system controls. Voice commands only.”

A minute later, the computer beeped. Anwen gave orders, adding a remote access connection to a secured system. “There are eight half-grown dragons in the basement and thirty viable eggs. Get the hell out of there.”

“Can you release them, darling?”

“Not until you’re out. Someone tell mum to have the area evacuated now. Those eggs are hatching.”

Ianto relayed that over the ear com.

“How big an area?” Gwen asked.

“Don’t know without Luc. Anwen is saying as much as possible.”

“Call for the air strike. Free the dragons, let them through the Rift and have the entire building destroyed,” Jack said.

“What about the people in the building?” Ianto asked.

“They won’t survive the CN,” John said.

 

** Port of London; Cardiff, Wales **

Aman Oliveira arrived using of the portal devices in an area Kailen assured him had no CCTV. He had the planned tech, restraints and a back-up gun. He briefly looked at the black gloves he wore, and realized he was becoming his father. Bashiri Oliveira started out as a contract killer in South America. He took pride in explaining forensic countermeasures, tracking and murder to his eldest son. How had it come to this? 

“Beaupre is in the car park,” Kailen said. “Your ambush is a space between offices. Security response time will be quick.”

The bastard tried to kill them. If Zhao hadn’t intervened, Kailen would have died and Eryn would have had medical issues for life. Anger pushed him forward. Beaupre would have turned him into a monster fueled by revenge and God knows what. He needed to end it. He withdrew the gun he intended for back-up, chambered a round and checked the silencer. 

“He’s entering the space. No video.” 

Aman waited. His adrenaline pumped. He could heard the footsteps on the pavement. When Beaupre neared him, he stepped into the space facing the man that tried to kill him. “Ronald.” He shot the elderly man he recognized from the photograph in a knee cap, sending him to the ground. “Beaupre.” The man reached for his gun and Aman shot in the hand. “Why do you want me dead?”

“To teach your father a lesson.” The man met his eyes. Defiant to the end.

Aman shot Beaupre in the head.

 

** Cattrel Industries **

Jack Harkness drove as fast as he could, hoping Gwen had gotten far enough away. John held a tablet with footage from the bots. People ran from the building as he drove over the fence again. Anwen released the dragons as they cleared the area around the building. The adult dragon slammed into a section of building, weakening the structure. The juveniles in the building broke free. A swarm of baby dragons followed. In an instant, the dragons shimmered and disappeared.

“They are headed for the Rift,” Anwen announced. “The area is contaminated. You are in the contaminated zone. The van is toxic.”

“We’re okay, darling.”

“Tell Anwen, I’m clear,” Gwen said.

Minutes passed before a plane flew overhead. The ground shook on impact.

“One of the bots survived,” John checked his open wrist-strap. “Checking for CN.”

“Area is contaminated. Rubble, grass, air.”

“I’m heading for Torchwood,” Gwen said. “Rhys has vans to transport the full sized maintenance bots and hazmat gear.”

“Shit.” John motioned toward the tablet and readings from inside the van. They had a leak. He started disarming himself. 

Jack tapped his com and motioned for John to. He did and closed his wrist-strap.

“Is using a portal device better than staying here?”

“For me. Anwen can’t retrieve you.”

“Weapons on the floor.” Jack said. 

John made a pile.

Jack opened his own wrist-strap. “Anwen Williams.”

“What happened?”

“We have a leak. We’re both exposed. John needs to portal out.”

“I don’t know how to do that on purpose.” Anwen sounded near tears.

“You’ve got this, darling. You need to drop me in a secured room. I’m leaving my weapons. But…”

“You shoot the cute monsters. I got it.”

John removed the device from his pocket. He carried it out of habit. “You ready?”

“Yep.” Anwen was crying.

John disappeared.

“We have him,” Ianto hesitated, a medical emergency alarm in the background. “Anwen dropped him in the infirmary. She took off with a stun gun.”

“Be careful. She’s immune. You’re not.”


End file.
